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Sanagas seeks third straight win in San Marcos Sanagas was sold following his victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Turf Cup on November 19 and will be pointed toward the Melbourne Cup later this year by his new connections. But before leaving Southern California, the six-year-old gelding will attempt to add Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 San Marcos Stakes to his resume. The German-bred will square off against seven rivals in the 1 1/4-mile turf affair at Santa Anita. Now trained by Peter Miller, Sanagas captured the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland prior to the Turf Cup and will pick up the services of Joel Rosario as he goes for his third straight graded score. The dark bay romped by 3 1/4 lengths as the 8-5 favorite in the Turf Cup and Sanagas will share top-weight duties Saturday under a 123-pound impost. Norvsky will also tote a 123-pound assignment following his victory in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Handicap on January 16. Conditioned by Don Warren, the California-bred gelding registered his first graded stakes win in the nine-furlong San Gabriel but loses the services of Rafael Bejarano to Bourbon Bay. Joe Talamo, who was last up for a second in the Ralph M. Hinds Handicap at Fairplex last September, will regain the mount on Norvsky. Hollywood Turf Cup runner-up Bourbon Bay will be making a title defense, easily garnering last year's edition by 1 3/4 lengths, and the Neil Drysdale-trained gelding owns a commendable 6-5-1-0 mark over the Santa Anita turf. Multiple Grade 1 winner The Usual Q.T. is a threat with his best, but the six-year-old will be attempting to snap an eight-race losing skein that dates back to July 2010. Regular rider Victor Espinoza will guide the James Cassidy charge. English stakes-placed Slim Shadey will make his third U.S. appearance following an entry-level allowance score over the course. Chilean Group 1 hero Ashtar is still looking for his first trip to the winner's circle in North American, finishing fourth in his last three starts against graded rivals. Longshots Utopian and Worth Repeating round out the field.
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