Columnist Ralph Siraco: Milwaukee Brew dispenses field in Big Cap

Ralph Siraco

Monday, March 4, 2002 | 9:14 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

On Saturday, Santa Anita presented it's biggest race of the meeting for older horses. That category is called the handicap division, so it is no surprise that this Grade I event has been dubbed the Big Cap.

The 65th renewal of the Big Cap came with much less fanfare than many of the previous runnings of a race many horsemen believe is the hardest handicap event to win.

The field assembled for the 1 1/2-mile classic was the largest in many moons. Fourteen answered the call to post for the prestigious race and arguably many did only because of the $1 million purse at stake.

Milwaukee Brew was the Big Cap winner and added his name to an impressive list of champions. From Azucar, who won the first Santa Anita Handicap as the first $100,000-added race in America back in 1935, to last year's winner, Tiznow, who went on to win an unprecedented second Breeders' Cup Classic, there have been many champions to garner the trophy.

The storied Seabiscuit won in 1940, Noor in 1950, Round Table in 1958, Prove It in 1961, Mr. Consistency in 1964, Hill Rise in 1965, Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair in 1966, Pretense in 1967, Mr. Right in 1968 and Nodouble in 1969.

They were just a handful of past champions that Milwaukee Brew will not be mistaken for. You can add Ack Ack in 1971, Cougar II in 1973, Crystal Water in 1977, Vigors in 1978, Triple Crown victor and Horse of the Year Affirmed in 1979 and almost Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid in 1980 to that list.

Milwaukee Brew will have to repeat next year if he is to match the great John Henry, who won the 1981 renewal and returned the following year to win the Big Cap, via disqualification of Perrault, as the only two-time winner of a race that spans eight decades and two centuries. That includes winners Alysheba in 1988, Best Pal in 1992 and Free House as the last of the 20th-century champions, in 1999.

Although Milwaukee Brew sounds more like the newest craze on the drinking scene, the horse hails from the Bobby Frankel barn and is coincidentally owned by the man who owns the track. Stronach Stables, which started two horses in the Big Cap (Euchre was the other), is owned by Frank Stronach, the chief stockholder and chairman of Magna Entertainment, which holds Santa Anita Park in it's multi-track portfolio.

Milwaukee Brew, who had failed to hit the board in three previous tries at the distance, doubled his career earnings of $546,612 from 4 victories over 14 career starts. The Big Cap was worth $600,000 to the winner.

For the record, Milwaukee Brew was the only stretch runner in the bulky Big Cap field to fire. Pacesetter Western Pride reeled off suicidal fractions of 22:1, 45, 1:09:2 and 1:35 flat for the mile before the Brew crewmaster Kent Desormeaux caught the front-runner.

Although Milwaukee Brew's winning time of 2:01 flat would have put him a dozen lengths behind Big Cap record holder Affirmed (1:58:2), time is irrelevant to the cash. $600,000 is $600,000, whether it's 2:01 flat or two hours and one day.

And who knows, this could be the start of bigger things for the Big Cap winner. In 10, 20 or 40 years, Milwaukee Brew may be remembered with Tiznow and John Henry.

Or then again, he may be totally forgotten.