Glatt holds strong hand in Unusual Heat Turf Classic
At 12h16, on January 18, 2025 • By Santa Anita Park
After being delayed a week because of the Los Angeles County wildfires, California Cup returns Saturday at Santa Anita with an 11-race card featuring many of the best horses bred or sired in the Golden State.
The program, which kicks off at 11:30 a.m. PT, includes five stakes for statebreds totaling $775,000 in prize money. Among the stakes slate is the $175,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic going 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita’s Camino Real turf course.
A field of 11 is signed on for the Turf Classic, which includes a pair of top contenders for trainer Mark Glatt. The 51-year-old conditioner will saddle both Old Pal, the 8-5 morning line favorite, and 6-1 third choice Aligato. Glatt on Thursday expressed confidence heading into the Turf Classic.
“I think both horses have a big shot. We just need to have an honest pace up front to support their closing kicks,” Glatt said.
Old Pal and Aligato could very well get their needed pace scenarios. Three horses in the lineup—Jimmy Blue Jeans (10-1), Fast Buck (15-1) and Takes Three (12-1)—all boast recent wins on the front-end.
Old Pal will break from post three under Antonio Fresu. Most recently, Old Pal finished a troubled third after launching from last in an open second-level allowance going a mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 17. Old Pal was caught in traffic from the quarter pole to the eighth pole before closing to within 1 ¼-lengths of the winner on the wire. The runner-up that day, El Potente, returned to clear the second-level allowance condition on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.
