SANTA ANITA : Megan’s Interco Wins Arcadia Handicap

Megan’s Interco, a gelding who once made a living running second, has changed his ways.

The Calfifornia-bred son of Interco made it five consecutive victories for owner Milt Bronson and trainer Jenine Sahadi, defeating Tinners Way by a head in the $109,400 Arcadia Handicap on the turf at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Megan’s Interco, the 8-5 favorite, was never far off the pace being set by Tinners Way, and they battled through the stretch. Ridden by Corey Black, Megan’s Interco has now won four of five on the turf and six of his last seven overall. He completed the mile in 1:33 4/5. Earl Of Barking, the 2-1 second choice, was fifth.

“This is just one super racehorse,” Black said. “I’ve told Jenine that if you take Lure out of it, I don’t know if there’s any horse who can beat this horse on grass at a mile.”

In the race before the Arcadia, favored Mamselle Bebette won her third stakes of the meeting, beating Arches Of Gold by nearly two lengths in the $92,475 Las Flores Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Owned by John Forsythe’s Big Train Farm and trained by Jack Van Berg, Mamselle Bebette took over in the final eighth of a mile after Arches Of Gold had set the pace from her inside post.

Corey Nakatani rode the 4-year-old Copelan filly, who earlier had won the La Brea on Dec. 28 and the Monrovia Handicap on Feb. 6. Mamselle Bebette ran the six furlongs in 1:08 1/5 and paid $5.

“I think she’s going to be a real top filly when we get done with her, if we can keep her sound,” Van Berg said. “I don’t know what we’ll do next. We’ll just give her some time and pick our way along.”