Canonize bounced back in the Santana Mile after San Carlos disappointment
Jay Em Ess Stable owned 6-year-old gelding, Canonize, has had a bright start to the new campaign, and have already bagged two races out of the three he has run this season, and his most accomplished performance came on 18 March, 2012, when Ronald W. Ellis trained gelding won the Santana Mile over at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course.
The Kentucky bred son of Aldebaran, out of mare Comanche Star by Saint Ballado, Canonize in a tough lineup redeemed himself by winning the Santana Mile after his fourth place defeat in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes on 25 February, 2012, to the Bob Baffert trained ace sprinter, The Factor, who covered the seven furlong distance in 1 minute and 20.56 seconds, as Sway Away finished second and the 2011 champion sprinter, Amazombie in third.
Canonize was stretched out in distance in the Santana Mile from seven furlongs to a mile, and the older gelding adjusted to the change in fine style. Under jockey Victor Espinoza for the fifth consecutive time, Canonize was allowed to go all out after the turn and challenged the Mike Smith ridden horse, Gladding.
It became a two horse race in the stretch, but Canonize stubbornly pushed at Gladding, who eventually gave up the lead, and it helped Canonize to gradually pull clear and win the race in 1 minute and 33.89 seconds over a track that was labelled good.
“There’s no reason pedigree-wise why he wouldn’t get a mile, and he always relaxes nice,” Ellis said following the Santana Mile. “I think the natural dirt is what made a difference with him. He’s always run on synthetic. As soon as he’s gotten over here, he’s a totally changed horse.”
“He’ll probably skip Hollywood Park (synthetic Cushion Track) and we’ll have to ship him to some dirt track because he just doesn’t handle the synthetics the way he does the natural dirt surface. So we might have to do a little bit of travelling. Luckily, he’s a 6-year-old with a good temperament. He’ll handle it well.”
Canonize scored his fifth win in 13 career starts, and four of his five wins have been scored at his favoured track at Santa Anita Park, where he will be running one last time before the meet closes.
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