Victory a Snap for Irish Prize

Irish Prize hasn’t won a race by a length or more in about 16 months, but Neil Drysdale, who trains the 5-year-old gelding, won’t complain. When Irish Prize gets his nose near the wire, the winner’s circle is not far off.

Going into Sunday’s $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita, Irish Prize had won four races this year--one by a nose, two by a neck and another by a half-length. Sligo Bay was up against this history when he battled Irish Prize to the finish line Sunday, and this time Drysdale’s horse won by the shortest of margins, a bob of the head in the final stride.

Irish Prize’s nose was down at the wire, and Sligo Bay’s wasn’t, and this was the $60,000 purse difference after 11/8 miles. Last New Year’s Day, Irish Prize had won the San Gabriel by a half-length over Manndar, and Sunday’s result made him the third horse to repeat in the stake. Brave Act doubled up in the two previous runnings, and Romarin was a back-to-back winner in 1995-96.

Kent Desormeaux rode Irish Prize in his first San Gabriel win, but Gary Stevens was aboard Sunday, after riding the horse to three hairbreadth wins in midseason. When Stevens and Laffit Pincay, astride Sligo Bay, pulled up their horses, Pincay thought he was the winner. The way Stevens’ luck had been going, he didn’t disagree.

“It was sweet to win a photo,� Stevens said. “Neil and I have lost some tight photos over the last three or four months, and it gets a little disheartening. Maybe the tide is going our way now.�

Irish Prize, running on the outside on an officially firm grass course softened by Saturday’s rain, headed Sligo Bay in the final strides, but then Pincay’s colt, only a 3-year-old, came back at the leader.

“When [Irish Prize] went by me, I kept working on my horse and he started coming back again,� said Pincay, who turned 55 Saturday. “It was very close, and in fact I thought I won the race, but that’s the way it goes.�

Irish Prize was squeezed from both sides leaving the gate, and the plan to have him close to the pace had to be discarded. Stevens found himself in 10th place, ahead of only one horse, for three-quarters of a mile, before Irish Prize made his five-wide move leaving the far turn.

Sligo Bay, trying to become the first 3-year-old to win the San Gabriel since In Excess in 1990, needs a lesson or two from Irish Prize on head bobs. He was second in November’s Hollywood Derby, beaten by a length by Denon, but even worse, it was No Slip’s nose that beat Sligo Bay in the Oak Tree Derby in October.

“I’m delighted with the way he ran,� said Beau Greely, who trains Sligo Bay. “He faced top older horses and almost won.�

Trainer Bobby Frankel ran third and fourth with El Gran Papa and No Slip, who were separated by a neck and beaten by about 11/2 lengths. Frankel, thwarted in his bid for stake win No. 50 this year, finished sixth with Northern Quest, his other starter.

Irish Prize, 6-1 in his first San Gabriel win, paid $6 as Sunday’s favorite. Bred and owned by Sheik Maktoum al Maktoum, he earned $90,000, carrying high weight of 121 pounds, four pounds more than Sligo Bay. The time, 1:502/5, was the slowest running of the stake since Stevens won his first of five San Gabriels with Conquering Hero in 1988.

Overall, Irish Prize has nine wins, three seconds and two thirds in 23 starts, with purses of just over $1.1 million. Drysdale has traveled North America with him. In his three previous races, following the three wins, he was fourth in the Atto Mile at Woodbine, fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Belmont Park and third in the Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park.

In less than 24 hours, Irish Prize will become a 6-year-old, with another full campaign ahead of him.

“He’s a lovely old horse,� Drysdale said.

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Jockey Iggy Puglisi, who broke a knee and suffered three broken vertebrae in a spill in a 41/2-furlong thoroughbred race Saturday night at Los Alamitos, was hospitalized at Los Alamitos Medical Center. Puglisi, who’s based at Santa Anita, will not need surgery but is to undergo further diagnostic tests, his agent, Richie Silverstein, said.