California Flag will try to continue his good run at the Santa Anita’s turf course in the San Simeon Handicap
Brian J. Koriner trained 8 year-old gelding, California Flag will be making his2012 debut in the Grade 3, $100,000 San Simeon Handicap on 21 April, 2012, at Santa Anita Park’s hillside turf course, which will be run over a distance of six and a half furlongs.
The San Simeon Handicap has reeled in 8, 4-year-old and up colts and geldings, while California Flag will break from post number 6 carrying, who will be the high weight of San Simeon Handicap with 121 pounds under jockey Joe Talamo.
Hi Card Ranch owned horse, California Flag will be looking to atone for his disappointing defeat in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs last fall with 5 furlongs to cover. He lost it to winner Regally Ready with the winning time of 56.48
seconds, which Country Day finished second and Perfect Officer third.
The California bred could only win a single race last year and that was the Grade 3 Morvich Stakes at about six and a half furlongs over the Santa Anita Park’s unique hillside turf course on 10 October, 2011, where he defeated Excessive Passion in second
and Ain’t No Other in third, while he covered the six and a half furlong distance in 1 minute and 11.91 seconds.
The son of Avenue Of Flags, out of mare Ultrafleet by Afleet, California Flag has gone on to participate in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint four times, even when the race did not have a graded stakes status.
His first run was in the 2008 edition of the race where he finished 10th to winner Desert Code. In 2009, California Flag won the race at Santa Anita Park under Joe Talamo defeating Gotta Have Her in second and Cannonball in third, with the winning
time of 1 minute and 11.28 seconds.
In 2010, California Flag finished a dismal eight to winner Chamberlain Bridge. He has gone on to win four out of six starts at the Santa Anita hillside turf course.
“The horse is doing well,” Koriner said. “Everything is coming together. The horse is great now. He trains great every day. We’ve always enjoyed having him around the barn. He’s a happy boy.”
Tags: