Tuscan Evening wins Santa Barbara 'Cap

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -Tuscan Evening defeated General Consensus by a length to win Saturday's $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita, while Mr Gruff won the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Tuscan Evening covered 1 1/4 miles on the turf in 2:00.22 and paid $2.60 and $2.10 as the 4-5 favorite. General Consensus returned $2.80. Restless Soul was another 4 3/4 lengths back in third. There was no show wagering because of the four-horse field.

“She relaxed so well the whole race, and I never hit her,” Bejarano said. “She was full of run at the finish.”

Tuscan Evening won four graded stakes during the winter-spring meet, one less than Hall of Fame horse Round Table won in 1958.

She has 10 wins in 25 career starts and earnings of $899,853.

In the San Simeon Handicap, Mr Gruff won for the second straight year, beating Victor's Cry by 2 1/4 lengths.

Mr Gruff covered 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:11.53 under Joel Rosario. He paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.20. Victor's Cry returned $6 and $3.80. Ever a Friend was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $2.60 to show.

Trainer Ron Ellis earned his third win on the card. It was Rosario's 11th stakes win at the meet, one more than leading rider Bejarano.

The win, worth $60,000, increased Mr Gruff's career earnings to $229,680, with five wins in eight races.