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Giacomo is back Nearly 15 months had passed since his upset victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and GIACOMO (Holy Bull) had plenty of skeptics entering Saturday's $300,000 San Diego H. (G2), but the gray colt finally returned to the winner's circle, nailing Preachinatthebar (Silver Charm) in the final strides to win by a head. In similar hair-raising fashion to his classic score at Churchill Downs, the John Shirreffs trainee rated patiently far off the pace until kicking it into gear on the far turn. A chilly Mike Smith took him widest of all into the stretch to avoid trouble, and Giacomo responded to his rider's left-handed urging with a gritty display of fortitude. Unraced since a fifth in the Santa Anita H. (G1) in early March, the four-year-old was cutting back to a distance, 1 1/16 miles, that was potentially too short for him, and Saturday's race was just a prep on the way to such major events as the Pacific Classic (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Giacomo broke well under his regular rider and settled back as Preachinatthebar led the field into the first turn from his rail post. The pacesetter established splits in :22 4/5, :46 and 1:09 4/5 while under pressure from Rathor (Ire) (Machiavellian) and Texcess (In Excess [Ire]). Giacomo had only one rival beaten with three-sixteenths of a mile remaining, but he was advancing into a menacing position. Preachinatthebar spurted clear at the top of the stretch, opening a 1 1/2-length advantage while passing the mile mark in 1:35 2/5, and the runner-up proved game all the way to the wire. Giacomo was simply too strong with his powerful strides on the far outside, catching his rival in the shadow of the wire to provide a very encouraging result for his supporters. He finished up in 1:42 over the fast track. Dismissed as the 9-2 fourth choice in the field of seven, the Moss, Moss and Stronach colorbearer returned $11.60, $5 and $3.40 for his third career win. Preachinatthebar, the 4-1 third choice, gave back $5.60 and $3.40, and it was 2 1/4 lengths back to Papi Chullo (Comeonmom), who was disqualified for interfering with Rathor in upper stretch and placed last. Southern Africa (Cape Town) was elevated to third and the 9-1 shot was worth $4.80. The $1 exotics paid $28.70 (exacta), $226.60 (trifecta) and $695.10 (6-1-5-3 superfecta). Texcess, Publication (Petionville) and Rathor were next under the wire. Spellbinder (Tale of the Cat) was withdrawn. Bred in Kentucky by the Mosses, Giacomo is out of four-time stakes winner Set Them Free (Stop the Music), who is also the dam of the Grade 2-placed Sea Jewel (Sea Hero), an unraced juvenile colt named Tiago (Pleasant Tap) and a yearling colt by Pleasant Tap. This is the female family of French classic winner Baiser Vole (Foolish Pleasure), co-champion two-year-old in France in 1985. The August 20 Pacific Classic is next for Giacomo.
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