Sunday is closing day at Santa Anita and as usual features the longest graded stakes race in America, the 14 furlong San Juan Capistrano. This race begins at the top of the hillside turf course which features a left handed turn and where the SA's unique 6.5 furlong downhill sprints start. The horses cross over the main track and proceed to make a loop around the turf course to finish their marathon journey. Since I am a stamina aficionado, it ranks as one of my favorite races of the year. The race was a Grade I from the inception of stakes grading until 2003 when it was demoted to Grade II and its purse was slashed. The whole series of turf route races at Santa Anita are Grade II races despite being one of the few venues that offer winter grass events. The 12f San Luis Rey was demoted from Grade I status in 1996. The Grade II San Luis Obispo (12f) and Grade II San Marcos (10f) round out the schedule (in reverse order). The reduced interest in turf routes has resulted in the decline of domestic breeding for turf stamina which perpetuates the fall in interest (in a vicious cycle). An article by Dan Liebman entitled "Grass Horses" in the April 14th Blood Horse analyzes the drop in the number of North American bred winners of European Group races. The San Juan, with all seven starters bred abroad (3 each in the UK and Ireland and 1 in Argentina), is an example of this failure of domestic breeders to bred turf stamina. Unfortunately this is becoming more and more irrelevant as fewer turf routes are being carded and route stakes races are being shortened, losing purse money, and failing to attract strong fields. Two of the biggest days of racing, the Derby and Preakness, compliment their classics with middle distance turf races.

As for the San Juan, my money will be on the lightly raced Fitz Flag. The southern hemisphere 7yo has only 15 starts, just over half of the average for field.

Past Performances for the San Juan Capistrano