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Velazquez Gets Beautiful Gift Up In Final Yards Of Santa Ysabel

It may not rise to the level of settled science, but yet another equine case study was unveiled Sunday at Santa Anita, leaving little doubt that when it comes to big race results, this is indeed Bob Baffert's world and the rest of us are merely living in it.

Although she encountered unexpected trouble a quarter mile out, Baffert's Beautiful Gift, the “Other Baffert” in pari-mutuel parlance, was able to mount a furious rally through the lane and get up to nail Michael McCarthy's Moraz by a short head in the Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes, an important steppingstone to the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3 at the Arcadia, Calif., track. Ridden by John Velazquez, Beautiful Gift got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:44.83.

With Baffert's 3-5 favorite Kalypso showing the way to the far turn, Moraz was closing in, just a length back to her outside while Beautiful Gift sat third at the rail, about 1 ½ lengths off the lead. Approaching the quarter pole, Moraz appeared to have gained the advantage and Beautiful Gift, full of run, was poised to come through at the rail, but instead had to wait and swing three-deep at the top of the lane, allowing Moraz to hold a seemingly insurmountable 2 ½ length lead with just a sixteenth of a mile to run.

“She was full of run and I was trying to keep her from getting dirt in her face but when Rispoli (Umberto, aboard Moraz) pushed Joel (Rosario, aboard Kalypso) in, I had to take a hold of her,” said Velazquez. “But she was able to overcome it…By the time I got her to the outside, I got her rolling and I was hoping she would get there before the wire and she did.”

Idle since breaking her maiden at a flat mile on Oct. 23, Beautiful Gift, who was one of three Baffert entrants among a field of four sophomore fillies, was off at 3-1 and paid $8.00 and $3.80 with no show wagering.

“I didn't think Johnny was going to get there and all of a sudden that mare kicked in and (Beautiful Gift) is really (good). We gave her some time. She got really light on us. The further the better for her. I didn't think she got there until I saw the super slow mo, but I'm just happy that they ran well…It's nice to get these fillies, it's all I have for the Oaks, so it's fun.”

A daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, owned and bred by Baoma Corporation, Beautiful Gift is out of the A.P. Indy mare Sea Gift. With two wins from three starts, the winner's share of $60,000 boosted her earnings to $99,600.

The second choice at 2-1, Moraz finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of Kalypso and paid $3.20 to show. Baffert's third entrant, Heels Up, was last throughout and was distanced by nearly 26 lengths at 16-1.

Baffert, whose top rated Derby hopeful Life Is Good ran away with Saturday's Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, now has nine stakes wins and 21 overall victories at the current Winter/Spring Meet, putting him first in both categories.

Beautiful Gift will receive 50 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, which will be run on April 30. The second, third and fourth place finishers will receive 20, 10 and five points respectively.

Fractions on the race were 23.95, 48.13, 1:12.69 and 1:38.21.

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Jesus’ Team Breezes In Preparation For Dubai World Cup; Rosario To Ride

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team breezed six furlongs at Palm Meadows Training Center on Saturday morning, three weeks before the son of Tapiture is scheduled to run in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G3).

“He went perfect, just like I wanted,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said. “He was spectacular on the gallop-out, faster than he finished. I think we're going to have a great trip to Dubai with him.”

Jesus' Team was timed in 1:14.45 for his third breeze at Gulfstream Park's satellite training center in Palm Beach County since finishing second behind Knicks Go in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream.

“He'll have one more work, an easy seven furlongs next week,” D'Angelo said. “This morning, I liked what I saw.”

Joel Rosario will have the mount aboard the multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed 4-year-old in the March 27 Dubai World Cup.

“I'm very happy to have Joel ride Jesus' Team,” D'Angelo said. “Joel is a great rider.”

Jesus' Team, who broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price in his first start for D'Angelo at Gulfstream last March, has been stakes-placed in his last six starts, including a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico and second-place finishes behind Knicks Go in both the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland and the Pegasus World Cup.

Jesus' Team is scheduled to leave Gulfstream for Dubai March 16, while his trainer plans to leave the day before.

“I want to be there when he gets there,” D'Angelo said.

At Gulfstream Park Saturday morning, 2020 Preakness (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver produced at 'bullet' five-furlong workout in preparation for her 2021 debut. The Kenny McPeek-trained 2020 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G1) winner was timed in 58.09 seconds, the fastest clocking of 39 at the distance.

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Idol Takes Big ‘Cap As Favorite Maxfield Suffers First Career Defeat

Although a disappointing third as the heavy favorite in his final prep, the Richard Baltas-trained Idol seemed to relish clear sailing and a mile and a quarter, as he rallied wide turning for home to win the 84^th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Casino by a half length. Ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, Idol, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Curlin, got the distance in 2:02.46 and provided Rosario with his third consecutive win in the Big 'Cap.

Unhurried early as longshots King Guillermo and Tizamagician carved out a solid early pace, Idol was next to last, about five lengths off the lead heading into the far turn, Idol kicked into high gear around the turn and was five-deep turning for home as Express Train hit the front while full of run under Juan Hernandez.

With Rosario employing a powerful hand ride, Idol was able to get up on the money in a thrilling finish befitting the long storied history of the Big 'Cap, which was first run in 1935.

“I know he was running really hard around the turn, he was wide, he was far back, but Joel said he didn't want any of the kickback in his face, so we took the wide route,” said Baltas, 59. “He's a got a big, lovely long stride, so that's why we were thinking a mile and a quarter for sure. We needed all of Joel Rosario's power in the stretch to get him home. It was a great win, it's a race you dream about winning.

“It's unbelievable, I've been coming here since I was 13 years old,” Baltas continued. “Before I even got to be a horse trainer, I saw all the greats run here in the Big 'Cap and you never think that you're gonna be here but you keep working hard and God blessed you.”

Third as the even money favorite in the G2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 30, Idol was off at 5-1 in a field of eight older horses and paid $12.80, $6.40 and $3.40.

“My horse loves this distance,” said Rosario. “I just wanted to keep him away from the rail and he handled it easily. He responded when it came time to run and he had some kick…I had never been on him. I watched all his races and I could see he tries hard every time. What a strong finish today! He ran really big.”

Owned by longtime Baltas client Calvin Nguyen, Idol, who is out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, notched his first stakes win in what was his sixth career start. With the Big 'Cap winner's share of $240,000, he increased his earnings to $416,464 from three wins, two seconds and one third place finish.

In a tremendous effort, the John Shirreffs-trained Express Train just missed while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of race favorite Maxfield. Off at 5-1, Express Train paid $5.40 and $2.80.

The Brendan Walsh-conditioned Maxfield, who shipped in from New Orleans unbeaten in five starts, entered the stretch four-deep while about two lengths off of Express Train, but couldn't finish with the top two with no apparent excuses. Ridden by Florent Geroux, Maxfield was off at even money and paid $2.40 to show while finishing a half length better than Independence Hall.

Fractions on the Big 'Cap were 22.82, 47.12, 1:12.26 and 1:37.13.

Saturday's all sources pari-mutuel handle reached $22,744,568 on 11 races, which compared very favorably to last year's Big 'Cap Day total of $17,486,155 on a 12-race card.

First post time on Sunday for a nine-race program is at 12:30 p.m.

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Hit The Road Finds Room Late, Takes Kilroe Mile For Blacker’s First Grade 1

In a thrilling head and head battle to the wire, trainer Dan Blacker's Hit the Road prevailed by a neck over 5-2 favorite Smooth Like Strait, in Saturday's $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, providing Blacker, 38, with his first Grade 1 triumph. Ridden for the first time by eastern-based Florent Geroux, Hit the Road, 4-year-old colt by More Than Ready, out of the U S Ranger mare Highway Mary, got the mile on grass in 1:34.48.

With longshot Flying Scotsman hustled from his outside post, Smooth Like Strait fell into a stalking trip second, while Hit the Road was at joint third at the rail with Casa Creed to his outside and about three lengths off the lead heading into the far turn.

Leaving the quarter pole, Smooth Like Strait, under Umberto Rispoli, assumed command while Hit the Road was forced to wait for racing room behind a three-horse spread that included Smooth Like Strait, Flying Scotsman and Casa Creed. Full of run, Geroux found a seam two from the rail a furlong out and from there, it was game-on between Hit the Road and the runner-up.

“I was pretty anxious, but I thought if he can get through, he's got a good chance,” said Blacker in recanting the final quarter mile. “Luckily 'Flo' found a gap and he proved he's the best today. I gave myself 10 years to win a Grade I and luckily we got it done in year nine. I don't want to make this all about me. It's all about the horse, he's such a professional animal, he is a true racehorse. He was born that way, he's just a true athlete and so mentally focused on racing.”

With Rispoli opting to stay with multiple graded winner Smooth Like Strait over recent G3 Thunder Road Stakes winner Hit the Road, Geroux was more than happy to take the Kilroe call and Hit the Road was off at 4-1, returning $10.40, $5.40 and $4.20.

“The trip made the difference, we got very lucky with the trip,” said Geroux. “It opened up at the right time and the horse got the job done. It was all heart. Sometimes when you have to go through a tight spot, the horse doesn't necessarily cooperate, but he did great and did everything I asked him to … I liked my horse and the one horse (Smooth Like Strait), and I thought it was going to be very tough between those two. I was able to follow him all the way around and got through on the inside.”

Owned by D K Racing, LLC, Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road, in taking his first Grade I stakes, improved his overall mark to 9-6-0-0 and with the winner's share of $240,000, increased his earnings to $494,751.

In a huge effort, Smooth Like Strait, who finished a neck better than a flying Count Again, paid $4.40 and $3.40.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Count Again rallied from far back and paid $6.60 while off at 16-1.

Fractions on the race were 23.17, 47.32, 1:11.28 and 1:22.91.

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