SANTA ANITA : Cardmania Will Get a Challenge in San Carlos

In two of the last three years, victory in the San Carlos Handicap has signaled success in the Santa Anita Handicap.

Farma Way began a four-race Santa Anita winning streak in 1991 with a victory in the seven-furlong San Carlos and culminated the run in the $1-million Big ‘Cap. Last year, Sir Beaufort completed the same parlay.

Trainer David Bernstein would love to continue that trend with The Wicked North. The 5-year-old son of Far North will begin his year against Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Cardmania and five others in the $109,900 San Carlos today.

If all goes well late this afternoon, owner Philip Hersh’s horse will be pointed toward Santa Anita’s richest race. Before the Big ‘Cap, there would be a start in either the San Pasqual Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 22 or the San Antonio Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 13.

Everything points to a big effort by The Wicked North in the San Carlos. He hasn’t run since finishing second to Memo in the Smile Handicap on Nov. 6 and has a history of running well after a layoff. The Kentucky-bred has also trained well, capped by a five-furlong workout in 57 1/5 on Monday.

“He’s coming up (to the San Carlos) exceptionally well,� Bernstein said. “He needed some time off after (the Smile) because he’d run two weeks before in the Washington, D.C., International. With the shipping and everything, he lost some weight.

“He’s put the weight back on and he was feeling really good (Monday).�

A winner of five of his 11 starts, The Wicked North’s only off-the-board finish in his last 10 races was in the D.C. International. He finished seventh of eight in the mile race over a yielding turf course.

“It had rained heavily and the course was extremely soft and deep,� Bernstein said. “We’ve run him twice on off tracks (he was a distant third behind Bertrando in the slop in the San Fernando), and we won’t do it again.�

The Wicked North has handled nearly everything else he has been asked to do.

A winner against 1992 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Thirty Slews in the Bing Crosby Handicap last Aug. 1 at Del Mar, The Wicked North will try to do the same to Cardmania, the 7-5 favorite.

“Obviously, he won the Breeders’ Cup, so he’ll be tough,� Bernstein said. “The way I look at the race, Davy Be Good will be in front, (The Wicked North) will be just off the pace, then we’ll try to hold off Cardmania. I would think that would be the scenario.�

Winless in his first 10 races of 1993, Cardmania ended his slump with a 2 1/2-length victory in the Ancient Title Handicap, 20 days before he rallied to beat Meafara by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup.

If the 8-year-old Cox’s Ridge gelding does make it three consecutive victories today, he will become the first 1993 Breeders’ Cup champion to win since that day. Brocco was beaten by Valiant Nature in the Hollywood Futurity and the now-retired Kotashaan was defeated in the Japan Cup.

Cardmania, who has only two recorded workouts since Nov. 6, is winless in five tries at seven furlongs, with two seconds and a third.

“He’s going to run very well,� trainer Derek Meredith said. “He’s fit and he’s training well.�

With the scratch of Arrowtown, the other San Carlos starters are Exemplary Leader, who won a turf sprint on opening day; Portoferraio, who won only one of 14 last year; Davy Be Good, Charts and Monde Bleu.

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The career of Music Merci, a multiple-stakes winner, might be over.

Being prepared Tuesday for a possible start in the San Carlos, the 8-year-old gelding suffered pulled ligaments in his right front ankle while working five furlongs.

“He’s comfortable, but his future is indefinite,� trainer Bill Spawr said.

Beset by injuries and ailments throughout his career, Music Merci finished sixth in his last race, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He has won 12 of 35 and earned $1,500,710. His stakes victories include the Del Mar Futurity, Illinois Derby, San Rafael Stakes, Malibu Stakes and the Palos Verdes Handicap.

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Market Booster, who was eliminated at the start of the Yellow Ribbon Stakes in her American debut, is the high weight at 120 pounds for the $111,800 San Gorgonio Handicap on Sunday.

Now trained by Wayne Lukas, the 5-year-old Green Dancer mare won five of 17 in Europe and has trained well for her first start since finishing ninth in the Yellow Ribbon on Nov. 14. Chris McCarron will ride.

The rest of the entrants for the 1 1/8-mile race are Skimble, third behind Flawlessly and Toussaud in the Matriarch; Gumpher, Dior’s Angel, Lyin To The Moon, Hero’s Love, Miss Turkana, Suivi, Miatuschka and Shooting The Moon.

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Wayne Lukas says there continue to be encouraging signs in the condition of his son, Jeff. “He’s very definitely still in a coma and it’s a very, gradual long process,� he said. “But he’s trying to come out of it a little bit. He lapses in and out, moving his hands and opening his eyes, but he’s making good progress.� Jeff Lukas has been in a coma since being run down by Tabasco Cat in the Santa Anita stable area on Dec. 15.

Eddie Delahoussaye will begin a five-day suspension Sunday after having been disqualified on Top Of The Sky in Wednesday’s seventh race. . . . Ron McAnally ended a 22-race slump beginning the meeting when Sun Finger won the fifth race on Friday. . . . Trainer Bob Baffert was fined $300 for a medication violation.