by Steve Bailey

A handful of the West Coast’s best handicap horses will meet on Saturday in the $500,000 Goodwood Handicap (G1) at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

Multiple Grade 1 winners Lava Man and Tiago and Grade 2 winners Arson Squad and Awesome Gem headline a ten-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile race on Santa Anita’s new Cushion Track surface.

Jason Wood’s and STD Racing Stable’s Lava Man, who won last year’s Goodwood by 2 1/4 lengths over Brother Derek, will try to bounce back after a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) on August 19 at Del Mar.

The six-year-old Slew City Slew gelding has won three of his six starts this season—including the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for the second consecutive year and the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) for the third straight year—with a second in the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1) on June 9 at Hollywood Park for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Jerry and Ann Moss’s Tiago burst onto the scene this spring with his victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) prior to a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

Following a third-place finish behind Rags to Riches and Curlin in the Belmont Stakes (G1), Tiago returned to California to score a 2 1/2-length victory in the Swaps Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) on July 14 at Hollywood Park for trainer John Shirreffs.

Jay Em Ess Stable’s Arson Squad has started only twice since his victory in the Strub Stakes (G2) on February 3 at Santa Anita, finishing sixth in the San Diego Handicap (G2) on July 21 at Del Mar and fourth in the Pacific Classic in his previous outing.

Awesome Gem enters the Goodwood off a second-place finish behind Student Council in the Pacific Classic.

The four-year-old Awesome Again gelding, trained by Craig Dollase, has won twice and finished second three times in seven starts this season, including a victory in the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) on January 13 at Santa Anita.  

Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times

The field, in post-position order with (sire), jockey, weight and trainer:

1. Arson Squad (Brahms), Victor Espinoza, 124, Bruce Headley;

2. Hello Sunday [Fr] (Poliglote [GB]), Brice Blanc, 124, Bobby Frankel;

3. Lewis Michael (Rahy), E. T. Baird, 124, Wayne Catalano;

4. Tiago (Pleasant Tap), Mike Smith, 124, John Shirreffs;

5. Porfido [Chi] (Mash One [Chi]), Joel Rosario, 124, Bobby Frankel;

6. Big Booster (Accelerator), Michael Baze, 124, Mike Mitchell;

7. Lava Man (Slew City Slew), Corey Nakatani, 124, Doug O'Neill;

8. Awesome Gem (Awesome Again), David Flores, 124, Craig Dollase;

9. A. P. Xcellent (A.P. Indy), Jose Valdivia Jr., 124, John Shirreffs; and

10. Wanna Runner (El Corredor), Tyler Baze, 124, Bob Baffert.