His 3-year-olds may not be eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, but nevertheless trainer Bob Baffert surely has an abundance of horses with the potential to be Triple Crown contenders in any other year.
Tag: Racing
Dash Attack Wins Smarty Jones, Joins McPeek’s Loaded Kentucky Derby Stable
Trainer Kenny McPeek, coming off a career-best year by earnings in 2021, might be poised for an even better 2022 judging by the way Jan. 1 went.
As Time Goes By Much Best In Santa Anita’s La Canada
With a well-meant Park Avenue providing a target from the opening bell in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., heavily favored As Time Goes By stalked her to the far turn, took command a quarter mile from the money and prevailed in a thoroughly dominant New Year's Day performance, winning by 13 ½ lengths as Flavien Prat notched his second consecutive stake win and his fifth overall on the day. Prat added a sixth win the day's finale.
Conditioned by Bob Baffert, who got his second stakes win of the day and who was available via telephone from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, As Time Goes By got 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.31.
A winner of a pair of G2 stakes at Santa Anita early last year, As Time Goes By, a 5-year-old mare by American Pharoah, came off a facile 1 ¼-length win in the G3 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos Dec. 5 and was off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older fillies and mares and paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10.
“This filly keeps getting better and better with age,” said Baffert. “I'm really excited. She has always been a barn favorite of mine. She's got that American Pharoah temperament. They seem to be late bloomers and she is getting better all the time. I am expecting big things from her from here. She will stay here, and I think the Grade 1 Beholder would be next for her.”
On the strength of two recent wins, Park Avenue, trained by John Sadler, was off as the second choice at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez and paid $3.20 and $2.20 while finishing 4 ¼ lengths in front of Moonlight d'Oro.
Ridden by Mike Smith, Richard Mandella's Moonlight d'Oro was the third choice at 7-2 and paid $2.10 to show while finishing 2 ¾ lengths clear of longshot Fi Fi Pharoah.
Fractions on the race were 23.46, 47.00, 1:11.46 and 1:37.27.
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Baltas Hunting For Grade 1 After Luck’s Impressive Victory In Robert J. Frankel
Ridden confidently, LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Luck, whose dam is a half sister to the legendary Goldikova, rallied with ferocity leaving the quarter pole and easily took Santa Anita's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on Saturday under Flavien Prat, winning in-hand by 3 ¼ lengths. Trained by Richard Baltas, Luck, a 5-year-old mare by Kitten's Joy, got 1 1/8 miles on turf listed as “good” in 1:48.26.
Next to last at the rail leaving the clubhouse turn, Luck was unhurried in the run up the backside but Prat stepped on the gas mid-way around the far turn and she wheeled five-deep at the top of the lane en route to easily gaining command a furlong out and providing Prat with his fourth win on New Year's Day. He would go on to win two more, completing his day with victories aboard As Time Goes By in the G3 La Canada and Riding With Dino in the final race of the day, an allowance/optional claiming event.
Second, beaten a pair of heads in the G3 Red Carpet Handicap and the G1 Rodeo Drive Stakes on Nov. 25 and Oct. 2, Luck, in her fourth stateside start for Baltas, was off as 4-5 favorite in a field of seven older fillies and mares and paid $3.80, $2.80 and $2.10 in what was her first graded stakes win. Out of the Caerleon mare Gold Round, Luck is now 8-4-3-0 and with the winner's share of $60,000, she has earnings of $208,470.
“She's a very special filly,” said Baltas. “She got beat the last time because of the slow fractions. They weren't going too fast today, but she ran liked we knew she was capable of running. We are thankful to have a filly this good and thank the ownership of Jaime Roth and LNJ Foxwoods for this great opportunity. … We have to start looking at a Grade 1 race sooner or later for her.”
English-bred Bodhicitta, who sat third early, outdueled multiple G1 winner Mucho Unusual by a nose for second and paid $6.20 and $3.20 with Kent Desormeaux up at 7-1.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Mucho Unusual made the lead very briefly at the furlong pole and just missed the place, while finishing 2 ¾ lengths in front of pacesetter Moraz. Off as the second choice at 3-1, Mucho Unusual paid $2.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 24.38, 49.26, 1:12.50 and 1:36.71.
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