OAK TREE AT SANTA ANITA : Classic Upset by Charmonnier Caps Three-Victory Day for Bob Baffert

A pattern is definitely developing two years into the California Cup, the $1,050,000 showcase for California breds at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting. Longshots are the way to go.

Charmonnier, a 28-1 pick, pulled off the biggest upset of all, defeating Best Pal by a head in the $250,000 Classic Saturday to cap a huge day for trainer Bob Baffert. Earlier, he had won the $125,000 Sprint with Letthebighossroll and the $100,000 Juvenile with Ebonair. Baffert just missed a fourth victory when Charm A Gendarme ran second to 11-1 shot Don B’s Princess in the day’s final race, the $100,000 Juvenile Fillies.

Even though Shirkee was a 6-1 choice, the 6-year-old gelding’s nose decision over French Seventyfive in the $150,000 Mile was probably the afternoon’s most popular and certainly provided the most emotional moment.

Shirkee, who once toiled at the bottom of the claiming ranks, is trained by Bill Shoemaker, and he was part of the large contingent in the winner’s circle. This was the second victory for Shoemaker since he returned after months of rehabilitation in a Colorado hospital after his auto accident last April.

“He ran a big race,” Shoemaker said. “I told him (jockey Eddie Delahoussaye) to keep him out of trouble if he could. His best distance is probably 6 1/2 furlongs, but he ran great.”

Pat Valenzuela was the big winner among the jockeys--winning four races--but he was more angry about the one that got away. Best Pal’s rider couldn’t believe the stewards let Charmonnier’s number stand after an incident turning into the stretch.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Charmonnier, a 3-year-old Batonnier gelding who had raced exclusively in Northern California, drifted out several lanes, taking Best Pal, the 2-5 favorite, with him, but the two never made contact. Seeking to add to his $2-million-plus bankroll, Best Pal got the lead in the final furlong but was outfinished by Charmonnier, who carried 12 pounds less weight (124-112).

Trainer Gary Jones, who wasn’t happy about the weight Best Pal had to spot his rivals Saturday, was even less thrilled by the stewards’ ruling.

“It had to be one of the wisest stewards’ decisions I’ve ever seen,” he said, sarcastically. “(Charmonnier) started off in lane 1 and ended up in the middle of the track. But, he didn’t pack (Best Pal) out. I’ve seen bad decisions before, but that’s a beauty.”

Nor could Valenzuela believe there wasn’t a change. “(Nakatani) did it intentionally,” he said. “If his horse was trying to (lug) out, that’s one thing, but if it was intentional, I don’t call that good race riding. I don’t care too much about getting outrun, but he took me to the middle of the track.

“The track wasn’t to my horse’s best liking. It’s a little deep. He tried, considering he carried a lot of weight and was spotting that much weight.”

On paper, neither Charmonnier nor any of the other Classic entrants seemed capable of giving Best Pal a battle, but just about everything went right for Baffert Saturday.

Gundaghia was the only one of his five starters who failed to hit the board, and he survived another inquiry earlier before Ebonair’s victory was made official.

“I knew they’d be looking at it,” said Baffert of Charmonnier’s victory. “But, Corey said he never touched him. It was good race riding. There was no contact. I knew this horse would run well, but I didn’t expect this. I worked him with Letthebighossroll the other day and he wouldn’t Letthebighossroll go by him. I’ve only had this horse down here a month, but he came to me in great shape.”

Nakatani, who was upset with the stewards when they didn’t disqualify Ebonair in the Juvenile after he ran second with 52-1 maiden Blackbeard’s Ghost, was in total agreement with them after the Classic.

“My horse was trying to get out, and if I fought him he wanted to get out even more,” Nakatani said. “So, I just let him do what he wanted to do. The inside part of the track was dead, so I tried to stay about three lanes off the rail. I rode where the best part of the track was. I told the stewards we brushed, and (Valenzuela) had the choice of going inside or outside. It was a good ride.”

Treated with Lasix for the first time, Letthebighossroll defeated 7-5 favorite Answer Do by a head in 1:09 2/5 to remain unbeaten at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old Flying Paster gelding is three for three at Arcadia.

“I told the owner, ‘If he’s going to win one, it’ll be today,’ ” Baffert said. “I was really scared of Answer Do, especially going the backside when (Letthebighossroll) was far back. It was another patented Eddie Delahoussaye ride. He just sat back and waited to make that big move.”

Baffert thought Ebonair was his most probable winner Saturday, but the 7-5 favorite had it anything but easy. He struggled home a half-length in front of Blackbeard’s Ghost, then had to sweat out the inquiry.

Considering how close Blackbeard’s Ghost, who entered with eight losses, finished and the final time (1:45 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles), the Juvenile gave Arazi and Bertrando no reason to shudder.

Bel’s Starlet, the prohibitive 7-10 favorite, defeated 5-2 second choice Paper Princess to win the $100,000 California Cup Distaff. This was the second consecutive victory down the hill for the Bel Bolide filly, who had won the Autumn Days Handicap last month. She covered the about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:12 2/5 under Kent Desormeaux for trainer Richard Mandella.

Horse Racing Notes

Making her first start against older fillies and mares, Flawlessly is the 3-1 morning line favorite for today’s $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf. She probably will have 12 opponents, including Kostroma, Colour Chart, Fire The Groom and defending champion Plenty Of Grace. Crnagora is scheduled to be scratched in favor of the Carleton F. Burke Handicap Monday. . . . Pat Valenzuela’s other victories in his first Cal Cup appearance were provided by Don B’s Princess, Bountiful Native in the $50,000 Distaff Starter Handicap and Teresa Mc in the $125,000 Matron. The jockey was absent in 1990, triggering a sequence of events which ultimately led to a six-month suspension.

There were no perfect tickets in the statewide Pick Seven for the Cal Cup. There were 29 tickets with six winners and each was worth $9,988 and the total pool was $724,911. . . .Geldings won all five of the races for males Saturday. . . . Favorites won only one of the seven Cal Cup races in 1990-- Bob Baffert’s Theresa’s Pleasure took the Juvenile Fillies.