The $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile, run on Jan. 16, came down to inches at the wire when California invader Somethings Unusual ran down locally based Az Ridge in the final yards to win by a head in 1:37.01 over firm turf. Perfectly Majestic, the only horse behind Somethings Unusual in the early stages of the race, ran on late to finish third, a length and three-quarters behind the top two.

Race favorite Big Cazanova, drawn into the early pace, split the field of nine while finishing fifth. Sent off at 8-5, Big Cazanova and Somethings Unusual were both exiting the Grade 3 Daytona at Santa Anita in late December.

Somethings Unusual, an 8-year-old gelding by Vronsky and trained by Michael McCarthy for Bruce Treitman, was ridden by Ignacio Puglisi.