The Tin Man Will Give It Another Shot

Three years later, The Tin Man is back for another shot at the San Marcos Stakes, a Grade II at 1 1/4 miles on turf, to be run for the 54th time Sunday at Santa Anita.

This time, however, the gelded son of Affirmed won’t have to worry about any of his stablemates in Richard Mandella’s barn.

Johar, who was also trained by the Hall of Famer, defeated The Tin Man by a head in the 2003 San Marcos. About 10 months later, Johar was a dead-heat winner -- with High Chaparral -- in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, The Tin Man running fourth.

Judging by his last race, The Tin Man, after a layoff of nearly 15 months, has not lost a step.

The 8-year-old, owned by breeders Ralph and Aury Todd, beat a strong allowance field, which included runner-up Captain Squire and We All Love Aleyna, on Dec. 28. It was his seventh win in 12 starts on the Santa Anita grass. Winner of $1,136,860, The Tin Man has only one victory in 10 starts at other tracks.

Most comfortable at longer distances, The Tin Man was able to win on the second day of the winter-spring meet racing only a mile.

The victory might have surprised some but not his trainer.

“I wouldn’t say that I expected it, but I wasn’t surprised because he’s a classy horse and sometimes they will do that,” Mandella said. “He ran very well.”

The Tin Man has had some physical issues during a career that began when he finished fifth against maidens going one mile on turf on Sept. 30, 2001. Ankle problems caused his latest break from the races.

“It wasn’t a tremendous problem, but we wanted to give him plenty of time,” Mandella said. “I’d say he’s doing as well now as he ever has. He still very much enjoys training and racing.”

If The Tin Man, who will be ridden by Victor Espinoza, wins the San Marcos, it will be his first stakes victory since he won the San Luis Obispo by 9 1/2 lengths nearly three years ago over a yielding turf course at Santa Anita. He also has a Grade I victory over the layout, having won the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch in the fall of 2002.

The San Marcos drew an overflow field. Besides The Tin Man, who will break from Post 9, 13 others are entered, including Always First, Whilly and Atlando, who will all carry high weight of 119 pounds.

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The California Horse Racing Board is working to eliminate entries that are coupled because of ownership. The board voted unanimously at its monthly meeting Thursday to drop the rule that says horses must run as an entry if an owner has interests in more than one horse in any race.

A change would require 45 days of public comment and approval by the state attorney general before it could become official.

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A total of 140 horses was pre-entered for the fourth annual Sunshine Millions, a series of eight stakes races for California- and Florida-breds that will be run Jan. 28. Four of the races will be run at Santa Anita, the other four at Gulfstream Park.

Post positions for the races, the richest being the $1-million Classic that will be run locally, will be drawn on Monday.