Champs Elysees cruises in San Marcos

Champs Elysees outclassed his rivals in the San Marcos (Benoit Photo)

Juddmonte Farms' homebred CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill) circled his foes

entering the stretch and pulled clear by 1 1/4 lengths under the wire to take the

$150,000

San Marcos S. (G2) at Santa Anita on Saturday. Trailing in last for

much of the contest, the Bobby Frankel trainee was moved to the outside by

Garrett Gomez at the head of the lane and did the rest from there, eventually

getting 10 furlongs on the firm lawn in 2:00 4/5 as a much-the-best winner. The

well-bred five-year-old went postward as the heavy 2-5 favorite and returned

$2.80, $2.20 and $2.10 while keying the $1 gimmicks: $7.80 exacta, $16.50 trifecta and $73.60 superfecta (6-3-8-2).

Rocket Legs (Dynaformer) moved into second turning for home and retained that

position to gain the runner-up spot at 8-1. Place was worth $4.20 and $2.40.

Obrigado (Fr) (Enrique) was a head back in third as the 7-2 second choice,

paying $2.40 in the process. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to fourth-place finisher

Niagara Causeway (Giant's Causeway). Next came Decado (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) and early

leader Ramazutti (Honor Grades), who faded after setting fractions of :24, :49

3/5, 1:13 3/5 and 1:37 1/5. Darrell Vienna's uncoupled duo of Medici Code (GB) (Medicean)

and Masterly (Arg) (Southern Halo) were both scratched.