Irish Import Outlasts Best Pal

Horse racing

Urgent Request, a natural frontrunner whose speed suited the fast track, held off late-charging Best Pal by a nose to win Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Handicap in Arcadia, Calif.

Best Pal, the 3-2 favorite whose greatest success has come at Santa Anita, failed in his bid to join John Henry as the only horse to win two Big ‘Caps. Best Pal won in 1992 and finished fifth in 1993.

Urgent Request hadn’t raced in three months and was making his first U.S. start. The 5-year-old Irish-bred covered 1 1/4 miles in 1:59 1/5, under 116 pounds.

Gary Stevens, who returned from Hong Kong where he is riding for a year, moved Urgent Request into second behind Del Mar Dennnis at the start. Stevens took the lead along the rail heading into the second turn, while Best Pal lingered 13 lengths behind.

Del Mar Dennis stalked Urgent Request and got a head in front at the quarter pole before Urgent Request regained control. Best Pal came thundering down the middle of the track as he picked off most of the nine-horse field.

Urgent Request paid $8.40, $5.80 and $2.40 as the 3-1 second choice. Dare and Go finished third.

Florida Derby

Overtaking Suave Prospect in the final strides, Thunder Gulch won the $500,000 Florida Derby by a nose and stamped himself as one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 6.

As he did in winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes by a neck three weeks ago, Thunder Gulch tracked Suave Prospect down the stretch, and jockey Mike Smith finally edged his colt in front as they hit the wire before a cheering crowd at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.

Thunder Gulch, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 3/5 and returned $6, $3 and $2.60. Thunder Gulch went off as the second choice to Suave Prospect, whose rider, Jerry Bailey, broke a 42-year-old Gulfstream record by winning with seven of his other nine mounts.