Pony Express, a popular 9-5 contender favored by the older horses, is set to compete in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pascal Stakes, covering a distance of 1 1/8 miles. This will mark his first race since October, when he took an early lead in the one-mile Tokyo City Stakes but ultimately finished three-quarters of a length behind the winner.
Trainer John Sadler praised the horse’s performance, saying, “He ran a good race that day. He always runs a good race. He’s a really good horse.” The 5-year-old gelding, sired by Gun Runner, is chasing his inaugural stakes victory in the San Pascal. Earlier this year, Pony Express placed in two stakes races: the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga and the one-mile Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.
Pony Express’s only previous experience at the 1 1/8-mile distance was in the Jim Dandy, which leaves some uncertainty about his ability at this length. Initially, he was also entered in the Oaklawn Fifth Season Stakes, a flat mile race scheduled for the same day, but that event was postponed due to poor weather. Sadler chose to keep Pony Express in the San Pascal instead.
“I am a little concerned about the distance, but the decision is to stay local,” Sadler explained.
Other notable contenders in the San Pascal include Bob Baffert’s Getawayker (2-1), co-owner and trainer Steve Knapp’s Bartholdi (4-1), and Craig Dollers’ Midnight Mammoth (9-2).
A longshot to watch is Westwood (12-1), making his 4-year-old debut with trainer John Shirreffs. In his last outing on November 22 at the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar, Westwood set a solid pace over 1 1/8 miles but was overtaken late to finish third behind G1 winner Nevada Beach and runner-up Bartholdi.
Westwood draws a favorable outside post, which could greatly benefit him in this speed-demanding race. Jockey Kazushi Kimura will be riding Westwood for the first time under authentic racing conditions. Shirreffs believes the horse is well suited to this race and the outside draw provides strategic flexibility.
This will also be Westwood’s first race without blinkers, a change Shirreffs made after training sessions showed the horse performs well without them and to encourage a more aggressive run.
The San Pascal Stakes will act as an important preparatory race ahead of the prestigious Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap scheduled for March 7. The fourth race of the day will start at 2:09 p.m. The post positions and riders are as follows: Armando Ayuso on Midnight Mammoth (9-2), Emisael Jaramillo on Gazzali (10-1), Juan Hernandez on Getawayker (2-1), Tyler Baze on Bartholdi (4-1), Hector Berrios aboard Pony Express (9-5), and Kazushi Kimura riding Westwood (8-1).
This article first appeared on January 30, 2026, via the Paulick Report.
Fan Take: This race highlights the tactical decisions trainers must make when balancing distance suitability and weather disruptions, showing the complexities behind horse racing strategy. For fans, the San Pascal serves as a thrilling prelude to the Santa Anita Handicap, offering a glimpse at emerging talent and veteran contenders ready to make their mark.
