Hasty Kris Tries to Win One for Ages

Only once in its first 22 runnings has the $200,000 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap been won by an 8-year-old.

First Intent got the job done in the Grade II in 1997, beating Hesabull and Northern Afleet, among others, for the Lima Family Trust and trainer Jack Carava.

Another senior citizen, Hasty Kris, will try to win the same race as an 8-year-old this afternoon at Santa Anita when he takes on nine other sprinters. The race is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $164,202.

Owned by C R K Stable and trained by John Sadler, whose only previous victory in the Potrero Grande came with Olympic Prospect in 1990, Hasty Kris is in the best form of his career.

He already is a two-time winner at the meet, having won an optional claimer by four lengths on Jan. 20, then returning five weeks later to win the San Carlos Handicap.

Other contenders include Ice Wynnd Fire, who is making his first start since Sept. 18 for John Amerman and trainer Bobby Frankel, Kela and Palos Verdes Handicap winner Saint Afleet.

Race of the day: Ghost Actor, who has won four in a row, and El Prado’s Boy, who has three consecutive victories, will battle for the first time in today’s eighth at Bay Meadows. Frank Alvarado will ride Ghost Actor, a 4-year-old Theatrical gelding, for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner-breeders Sid and Jenny Craig. Russell Baze again will be on El Prado’s Boy, a 4-year-old El Prado gelding, for trainer Steve Miyadi and For The Boys Stable in the $33,000 optional claimer at one mile.

One for the road: Major Mecke makes his first start for trainer Jon Zimmerman and gets a boost in class in today’s fourth at Gulfstream Park. Clinton Potts will ride the 6-year-old Mecke gelding in the $32,000 claimer at 1 1/8 miles. Zimmerman, who is winning at an 18% clip so far in 2005, has won first off the claim with 10 of his last 40 purchases, according to the Daily Racing Form, and he is stepping the gelding up three levels after taking him for $16,000 on March 11.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Mammoth Power in the sixth, Tradition Rocks, Witness This, Smile N Wildcat in the seventh and Hasty Kris, Ice Wynnd Fire and Kela in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/185. Money: Previous day/meet total: $20.60/$1,002.20. Total money bet: $1,236.