Capital Plan wins the Santa Barbara Handicap without breaking a sweat
In a field of seven, 4-year-old and up fillies, Mark DeDomenico’s 4-year-old filly, Capital Plan, under jockey Brice Blanc for the first time posted a grand victory over the classic of 1 ¼ miles distance on turf in the Grade 2, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap
on 21 April, 2012, at Santa Anita Park.
Over the unique hillside turf course, Capital Plan with a perfect trip downed the Irish bred Jeff Bonde trained Cambina by a significant margin of 1 ½ lengths for co-owner and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Jockey Brice Blanc won the Santa Barbara Handicap for the second year running with Capital Plan, and last year he won the 1 ¼ mile test on turf with Malibu Pier.
Jerry Hollendorfer, who won the Santa Barbara Handicap for the second time as well, previously with Tuscan Evening back in 2010, watched Capital Plan pull a crafty run when she waved passed the pace setter, Glowing Spirit, after being sent at 5 to 1.
The field was a good one, but in the manner Capital Plan won the race was really surprising, as he did it easily in the stretch after taking the lead, and without having to fend off challenges from the likes of Cambina, Capital Plan covered the gruelling
distance in 2 minutes and 1.78 seconds.
"When everybody looked for cover on the front side I kind of just let my filly lope along and I just got a beautiful spot," said Blanc, who rode Capital Plan for the first time. "I felt the momentum from there and I asked her to pick it up. She really responded
and took off the last three-sixteenths."
Jerry Hollendorfer enjoyed every minute of the race, and said after the race. "It was a perfect ride," Hollendorfer told HRTV. "Everything went the right way for us and Brice did a wonderful job."
The Kentucky bred daughter of Rock Hard Ten, out of mare Miss Dahlia by Strawberry Road, Capital Plan was exiting a second place finish in an allowance test over the Santa Anita Park’s turf course to winner Sweetly Peppered.
Fifth in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes, this was Capital Plan’s first win of the season in three starts.
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