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‘This Horse Has Gears’: The Great One Makes Statement With 14-Length Maiden Triumph

Still a maiden following a nose defeat in a Grade 2 stakes on Dec. 19, trainer Doug O'Neill's The Great One exploded off the turn for home en route to a 14-length score in Saturday's second race at Santa Anita, a $61,000 maiden special weight, and thus further enhanced his stature as a serious Derby hopeful. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, the bay son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist got a mile in 1:37.28.

With Bob Baffert's first-time starter Fenway, who dominated the wagering as the even money favorite, gunning for the early lead from his rail post, The Great One pressed him every step of the way and was three quarters of a length back at the three furlong pole. Well within himself, The Great One quickly opened up at two length advantage at the quarter pole and widened from there in a tremendous effort.

“When we made the lead at the top of the stretch, that was pretty amazing,” said Cedillo, who although he showed The Great One the stick several times to maintain focus, never hit him. “This horse has gears. Anytime you want one, you got it. The way he won today, he's a top horse, no doubt about it.”

Second, beaten a nose at 33-1 in the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity in his most recent start, The Great One, in his fifth career start, was off at 8-5 in a field of four sophomores and paid $5.20 and $2.60 with no show wagering.

“I always loved Nyquist and this colt caught my eye when he first came in,” said O'Neill assistant Leandro Mora. “He was very, very green, but we told the owners, please let us take our time with him and we have. We knew the ability was there. We have two horses for the Robert Lewis (G3, 1 1/16 miles) next Saturday, but I know Doug wants to try and keep these horses separated as long as we can. This colt is Louisiana-bred, so we have some options. We'll just see how he comes out of this race and then plan ahead.”

Owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing, LLC, Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall J. Brennan, Tom Fritz and William Strauss, The Great One is out of the El Corredor mare Little Ms Protocol. A $185,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase, The Great One picked up $36,600 for the win, increasing his earnings to $83,940.

Although trainer Mark Glatt's Affable loomed a contender a quarter mile out, he never got on terms with the winner and finished second, some 11 ½ lengths in front of longshot There Goes Harvard. Off at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez up, Affable returned $2.80 to place.

Fenway, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza, checked in last, beaten 29 ½ lengths.

Fractions on the race were 22.91, 45.76, 1:10.67 and 1:23.69.

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Wildman Jack Returns To Dirt, Captures Palos Verdes Stakes At Santa Anita

Trainer Doug O'Neill's Wildman Jack relished a return to the main track on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he drew off to an emphatic 4 ¼-length win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, he got six furlongs in a scintillating 1:08.98.

Breaking from post position two, Cedillo was content to let last year's Palos Verdes winner, Captain Scotty, clear him early and then Wildman Jack tracked the pacesetter into the far turn. Leaving the quarter pole, Wildman Jack put a head in front and although he was a bit green late, won in-hand at the wire, providing Cedillo his third win on the day and O'Neill with a training double.

“Last time (Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Jan. 1) I was sitting perfect, but he lost his shoes,” said Cedillo, who had a four-win day yesterday. “He lost his shoes, that's why he stopped…(The way) he ran today, I think he's better on the dirt.”

A disappointing sixth as the 2-1 favorite in the Hernandez at 6 ½ furlongs on turf, Wildman Jack, a 5-year-old gelding by O'Neill's 2013 Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents, was off at 5-1 in a field of eight older horses and paid $13.20, $6.40 and $4.20.

“He's been on the grass, but we loved his dirt race at Del Mar (a close fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes four starts back on Aug. 1),” said O'Neill's assistant Leandro Mora. “We've been thinking about getting him back on the dirt since then and Doug and the owners decided this race would be good. This is a huge win for him. … It's been awhile since we had back to back days like this, it's great to win.”

O'Neill had three wins Friday and his win earlier Saturday came with promising Derby prospect The Great One).

Bred in Kentucky by W C Racing, Wildman Jack, who is out of the Orientate mare Orientatious, is also owned by Glenn Sorgenstein WC Racing, Inc. A Group 3 sprint turf stakes winner on March 7, 2020, in Dubai, and a winner of the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on May 23, Wildman Jack now has three graded victories and is 14-5-3-1 overall. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $559,505.

Unhurried early, Shashashakemeup was a close third after the first half mile and was second best on the day, finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of late running Pyron. Off at 5-1 with Juan Hernandez, Shashashakemeup paid $6.80 and $4.20.

Breaking from the rail with Umberto Rispoli, Pyron was last early and was up to touch 3-1 favorite Ax Man by a neck for third. Off at 7-2, Pyron paid $3.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.01, 44.52 and 56.34.

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Strongconstitution Completes Five-Win Day For Cedillo At Del Mar

Abel Cedillo said he was feeling “lucky” when racing began Sunday afternoon at Del Mar. He had nine races to ride on the nine-race card at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif., and when he won the first one, he said his confidence went up.

By the time the day was done, the 31-year-old Guatemalan was brimming with conviction after he finished first five times, including a daring ride in the day's feature – the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes aboard Roadrunner Racing or Sayjay Racing's Strongconstitution that got him home by a head.

The mile grass race for 3-year-olds unfolded well enough for Cedillo as he lay up close along the rail, but heading home he had to step on the brakes as the field bunched at the head of the stretch. The rider looked outside, but quickly wheeled his Constitution colt alongside the fence where there was the smallest of holes. But both rider and horse were game and they dove on through and then held off Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach for the score.

Finishing third three-quarters of a length farther back was MyRacehorse.com or Spendthrift Farm's Lane Way.

Strongconstitution ran the mile in 1:34.09 and returned $7.20, $4.20 and $2.80. Heywoods Beach paid $7.60 and $4.60 and Lane Way returned $2.80.

Cedillo's earlier winners on the card were 1st Race – Speilberg ($3.80); 2nd Race – War Path ($8.60); 4th Race – Freedom Lass ($13.00), and 5th Race – Chollima ($5.40).

The victory run puts Cedillo on the lead in the local jockey standings after two days of racing to start the 15-day Bing Crosby Season at Del Mar.

Racing returns to the seaside oval Friday with an eight-race card around five Breeders' Cup Championship races from Keeneland in Lexington, KY.

ABEL CEDILLO (Strongconstitution, winner) – “Five wins today, wow. I was feeling lucky and when I won a close one with that first one (Spielberg by a neck in the first race), I had lots of confidence. Then I rode with that confidence from there on out. I'd won five races on a single day once before up at Golden Gate Fields, but this is a first down here. My horse (Strongconstitution) ran strong in the stakes. We got through inside and he got it done.”

LEANDRO MORA, assistant to Doug O'Neill (Strongconstitution, winner) – “He was training really nice up to the race and that told us he was ready. We got pretty worried up to the last quarter mile because he got blocked pretty good. But when he got through on the rail we were praying for the other one (stablemate Rookie Mistake) get up there too, and it almost happened. Two winners, one a day (on opening weekend for Team O'Neill), which is nice and keeps everybody smiling”

FRACTIONS: :22.32 :45.62 1:10.16 1:22.45 1:34.09

The stakes win was the first in the Let It Ride for Cedillo and his first of the meeting. He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the in the Let It Ride for trainer O'Neill and his first of the meeting. He now has 39 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Greg Helm ((Roadrunner Racing) of La Quinta, CA and Stephen Young (Sayjay Racing) of Baldwin Park, CA.

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‘Small But She’s Got A Big Heart’: Biddy Duke Outlasts Jo Jo Air in Sen. Ken Maddy

Easily one of the smallest horses on the grounds, trainer Doug O'Neill's speedy Biddy Duke showed tremendous gameness late in taking Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, the 3-year-old daughter of Bayern got 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02.03 while prevailing by a head over Jo Jo Air.

Breaking like a shot from her number two post position, Biddy Duke out-footed Jo Jo Air to the far turn and had a one-length advantage turning for home. With a host of pursuers, led by “Jo Jo” set to pounce a furlong out, Biddy Duke, who may not stand quite 14 hands tall, simply would not be denied while hand-ridden late.

“She's really fast and she's one of the smallest horses I've ever ridden,” said Hernandez, who picked up his second win on the day. “I knew we were going fast, but she was comfortable, so I let her go. When she saw that other filly come to us, she really fought back. She's small but she's got a big heart.”

Claimed for $40,000 six starts back on May 23 and most recently third over the course in the Unzip Me Stakes Sept. 26, Biddy Duke was off at 9-1 in a field of six fillies and mares and paid $20.20, $8.00 and $4.80.

“This filly has been so honest ever since we got her,” said Leandro Mora, assistant to O'Neill. “The idea was just to not go to the lead, just go close to the lead … Juan said she never quit, when he asked her, she just came back and that's all you see.

“We just pray and do the best we can.”

Owned by Joe Besecker, Biddy Duke, who is out of the Ghostzapper mare Ghostslayer, notched her first-ever stakes win and improved her overall mark to 20-7-5-3. With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $280,332.

Breaking from the rail, Jo Jo Air ran a huge race in defeat, prevailing by one length over longshot An Eddie Surprise for second money. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Jo Jo Air was the second choice at 5-2 and paid $4.00 and $3.00.

With Mario Gutierrez up, An Eddie Surprise, one of three O'Neill entrants, was off at 9-1 and paid $4.00 to show while out-finishing Aqua Seaform Shame by a neck.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, heavily favored Magic At Midnight, who was off at 4-5, saved ground while a close fifth at the top of the lane, but never threatened from there while finishing next to last.

Fractions on the race were 21.80, 44.60 and 56.09.

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