Grazen will try career as a stallion

Trainer Mike Mitchell reported that Grazen, the 4-5 favorite who suffered a career-ending tendon injury to his right leg during Saturday's California Cup Classic at Santa Anita, was doing well in his stall Sunday morning.

Grazen was leading in the race and appeared to have a good shot to hold off the onrushing and eventual winner Bold Chieftain when jockey Garrett Gomez had to pull up the 3-year-old Benchmark colt.

"He's walking great and he's putting a lot of pressure on it as he walks," Mitchell said. "He doesn't look as though he favors his leg at all. He is retired, though, and thank God we didn't have to put him down. Hopefully, there'll be a spot for him as a stallion in California. That'd be nice.

"From here, he'll go to Alamo Pintado (Equine Medical Center in Solvang) to help him recover. Then, probably Nick (owner and breeder Nick Alexander) will go to work on finding a place that will stand him."

Bold Chieftain, a 6-year-old son of Chief Seattle, became the 50th Cal-bred millionaire and first two-time winner of the Cal Cup Classic when he went on to post a 1 1/2-length victory over Lethal Heat, who was attempting to become the first filly to win the race.