Declan’s Moon, Big ‘Cap Are Drawing Cards

It’s testimony to the undefeated Declan’s Moon that he shared top billing Wednesday when post positions were drawn for the 68th Santa Anita Handicap.

A day ahead of time, Santa Anita officials drew for Saturday’s Santa Catalina Stakes, which at $200,000 is dwarfed by the $1-million Big ‘Cap later on the card.

The 1 1/16 -mile Santa Catalina will mark the first start this year for Declan’s Moon, who won all four of his starts in 2004 and received the Eclipse Award for best 2-year-old male. Trainer Ron Ellis plans only two pre-Kentucky Derby starts for the gelding -- the Santa Catalina and the Santa Anita Derby on April 9. The Kentucky Derby is May 7.

Saint Liam, at 122 pounds, is the high weight for the Big ‘Cap, and Jeff Tufts, the Santa Anita linemaker, made him the 5-2 favorite as well. Favorites have won close to 40% of the previous runnings, but only three favorites have won in the last 12 years.

“If Saint Liam repeats his last race, we’re all in trouble,” said Doug O’Neill, who’s running a 15-1 shot, Supah Blitz.

Saint Liam is scheduled to arrive in California today from Florida, where he was a 3 3/4 -length winner of the Donn Handicap on Feb. 5.

“I’m hoping he regresses a bit off that race,” O’Neill said.

Saint Liam notwithstanding, there will be heavy betting support for Rock Hard Ten, who has progressed from seven to nine furlongs in winning the Malibu and the Strub at the Santa Anita meet. Rock Hard Ten, who has four wins and a third in five tries at Santa Anita, is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. Then, at 4-1 in the 11-horse field, comes Imperialism, whose late run missed by a nose in the Strub.

Rock Hard Ten and another entrant, Congrats, are trained by Richard Mandella, who won the Big ‘Cap with Siphon and Malek in 1997 and ’98. Mandella also finished second and third, with Sandpit and Gentlemen, in an 11-horse field in 1997.

“These wins get better as you go along,” Mandella said. “I’ll be more than satisfied if we win another close one.”

Saint Liam, whose running style is on the lead or just off the pace, drew the outside post, next to Rock Hard Ten, who’s expected to make his bid from a stalking position. The last ‘Big Cap winner from the far-outside post was Ruhlmann, who beat nine rivals in 1990 to give Charlie Whittingham the next to last of his record nine wins in the stake.

Trainer Bobby Frankel, who also has won successive ‘Big Caps, with Milwaukee Brew in 2002 and ‘03, is running Lundy’s Liability, winner of the San Antonio Handicap on Feb. 6.

Lundy’s Liability, who is 6-1, drew the No. 1 post, historically the worst spot in the race. Only two horses -- Malek and Mr. Right in 1968 -- have won after breaking from the rail. Malek had only three rivals to beat seven years ago.

The Big ‘Cap lost a contender when trainer John Sadler wasn’t able to enter Musique Toujours. The 5-year-old gelding, who has a hoof injury, won the Sunshine Millions Classic at 70-1 in his last start.

Southern Image, who won last year’s Big ‘Cap, is a horse with a long history of foot problems. Trainer Mike Machowsky has been jogging Southern Image, who hasn’t run in about 10 months, and hopes to have him ready for the second half of the year.

Southern Image’s absence leaves Island Fashion as the only holdover from last year. The 5-year-old mare, who was second in 2004, again will try to become the first distaff winner.

Declan’s Moon drew the outside post in a field of six for the Santa Catalina. The rest of the field, from the rail out, is Go Coyote Joe, Snack, Juliesugardaddy, Spanish Chestnut and Going Wild. Declan’s Moon is 7-5 on the morning line and Going Wild, a winner going 1 1/8 miles in his last start, is 9-5.

Declan’s Moon hasn’t run since winning the Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 18.

“He’s 90% to 95% fit,” Ellis said. “But he still should be good enough to win.”

Compared to most Kentucky Derby winners, Declan’s Moon is getting a late start. The last horse to win the Derby after not making his 3-year-old debut until March was Sunday Silence in 1989. There hasn’t been a Derby winner with only two starts as a 3-year-old since Sunny’s Halo in 1983.

“The only other option,” Ellis said, “would have been to run him in the San Vicente [on Feb. 13]. But there was no reason to run him only seven-eighths of a mile.”

Ellis’ other Derby hopeful, Don’t Get Mad, was second to Fusaichi Rock Star in the San Vicente in only his third career start.

“He’s still learning, but he has a true mile-and-a-quarter pedigree,” Ellis said.

The plan is to run Don’t Get Mad in the San Felipe on March 19, then in either the Wood Memorial on April 9 or the Arkansas Derby on April 16.

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The Saturday forecast: No rain, a fast track and temperatures reaching 70 degrees.... The last out-of-state shipper to win the Santa Anita Handicap was Broad Brush in 1987.... Singletary, making his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Oct. 30, will join nine others in Saturday’s $300,000 Jimmy Kilroe Mile.... John Lies, a Santa Anita and Hollywood Park publicist and backup announcer at Hollywood, has been named track announcer at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. Lies, 28, replaces Michael Wrona, who had a salary disagreement with the track.

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Ready to Run

Post position order and odds for Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap.

Estimated local post time: 5 p.m.

Purse: $1 million. * Distance: 1 1/4 miles.

*--* Horse Odds Jockey (Weight) Lundy’s Liability 6-1 P. Valenzuela (120) Borrego 30-1 G. Gomez (113) Congrats 12-1 T. Baze (115) Truly A Judge 12-1 M. Pedroza (117) Island Fashion 10-1 K. John (113) Californian 50-1 M. Linares (110) Grand Reward 30-1 R. Bejarano (112) Imperialism 4-1 A. Solis (117) Supah Blitz 15-1 V. Espinoza (115) Rock Hard Ten 3-1 G. Stevens (119) Saint Liam 5-2 E. Prado (122)

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