By Associated Press - Friday, April 25, 2014

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Quick Casablanca won the $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes by a head on opening night of Santa Anita’s first spring meet Friday.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Quick Casablanca ran 1 1/18 miles on the turf in 1:48.62 and paid $34.60, $18 and $6.80 at 16-1 odds.

It was the 6-year-old Chile-bred’s first race since Nov. 17 at Aqueduct in New York. Quick Casablanca has won Group 1 races in Chile and Argentina. It was his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally after going 0-5 in New York since last May.

“I was able to work him the other day and he showed me that turn of foot in the morning too,” Talamo said. “They were moving a little slow on the front end so I had to move sooner than I wanted. When I showed him daylight, he gave me an explosive kick.”

Fire With Fire returned $6.20 and $2.20, while Rookie Sensation was another neck back in third and paid $2.10 to show.

The victory, worth $60,000, increased Quick Casablanca’s career earnings to $548,580, with four wins in 17 starts.

The track’s 40-day spring meet running through June 29 is the result of Santa Anita picking up new racing dates after Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood closed in December.

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