The Horses Come Back to San Juan Capistrano

If 13 horses start in the $250,000 San Juan Capistrano this afternoon on the final day of the winter-spring meet at Santa Anita, it will be the largest field in the turf marathon in more than 40 years.

When George Royal won the first of his two Capistrano races in 1965, he had to beat 13 rivals.

T.H. Approval, the defending champion, heads the baker’s dozen in the Grade II stakes race as he tries to become the fifth horse to win the race twice. In addition to George Royal, he would join Mioland, Intent and Niarkos, who was the last to accomplish the feat in 1967 and ’68.

Owned by breeder Tadahiro Hotehama and trained by Eduardo Inda, T. H. Approval isn’t the kind of thoroughbred a bettor can trust. The win in the 2005 Capistrano, in which he defeated Exterior and six others, is his only victory in 11 starts on the Santa Anita turf course. He will be ridden by Alex Solis, who has been winning this event once every 10 years. Solis won with Dahar in 1986 and again with Raintrap in 1996.

Among those T.H. Approval, who will carry top weight of 117 pounds, will have to beat is Quinquin The King. A French-bred trained by Bob Hess Jr. for a partnership, the 4-year-old gray will be making his U.S. debut after winning four of 21 overseas.

Race of the day: J’ray, unbeaten in four starts on the turf, will try for her second win on the course at Keeneland when she faces eight other 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Appalachian. Rafael Bejarano will replace the injured John Velazquez on the daughter of Distant View for owner-breeder Lawrence Goichman and trainer Todd Pletcher in the one-mile race. J’ray won the Jessamine in her Keeneland debut on Oct. 27.

One for the road: Giant Wrecker has trained well for his first start of 2006 and can win from just off the pace in the eighth race at Gulfstream Park today. Jose Velez Jr. will ride the 4-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway for owner-breeder Edward Evans and trainer Mark Hennig in the $37,000 optional claimer at one mile on the turf, a surface on which Giant Wrecker has won two of four. The race is one of eight on the grass on the final day of the Gulfstream meet.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using High Z and Bull Moose in the second, Diamond Green in the third and Victorian Girl, Smokester’s Alle and Funny Copy in the fourth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 1/241. Money: (previous day/meet total): $3.20/$1,362.80. Total money bet: $1,482.