runhappy santa anita derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rock Your World Coast-To-Coast in Runhappy Santa Anita Derby

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) threw his hat in the ring for the GI Kentucky Derby with a front-running upset in his first try on dirt in Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.

A debut winner sprinting on the grass at Santa Anita on New Year's Day, the $650,000 KEESEP purchase scored a decisive victory in the one-mile Pasadena S. over the local lawn Feb. 27. He prepped for this with a best-of-82 five-furlongs in :59 1/5 over the Arcadia main track Mar. 28.

Given a 5-1 chance in this step up to the big leagues, Rock Your World showed good early foot, pushing his way up between foes to seize the early advantage. The dark bay was hard-pressed by 45-1 shot Parnelli (Quality Road) with 4-5 favorite Medina Spirit (Protonico) perched on that one's outside in third through opening splits of :22.42 and :46.11. Umberto Rispoli let Rock Your World out a notch at the three-eighths pole and he readily responded, shaking free of his foes as he entered the bend. A determined Medina Spirit tried his best to reel in the pacesetter in the lane, but Rock Your World had plenty left in the tank and effortlessly rolled clear of the chalk to win for fun by 4 1/4 lengths. 'TDN Rising Star' Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) completed the trifecta.

It was the second Santa Anita Derby victory for trainer John Sadler. Coincidentally, his first also came with a son of Candy Ride, when winning the 2010 edition with Sidney's Candy.

“We have been laying in the weeds,” said Sadler, who also won Saturday's GIII Commonwealth S. at Keeneland with Flagstaff (Speightstown). “I thought it would be good to start this horse off on the turf, much like Omaha Beach (War Front), and develop. The plan was to run him a couple of times on the turf and now it was time to get the points. We gotta get the points to get to Kentucky.”

He continued, “The post [position] dictated our strategy. I saw Umberto in the paddock this morning at 8 a.m. and I told him 'Go big or go home.' We had to get out of there with the scratch inside of us. It worked out great and I'm very excited.”

Sadler and the Hronis family have campaigned the likes of champions Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) and Stellar Wind (Curlin), as well as Grade I winners Combatant (Scat Daddy), Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), Gift Box (Twirling Candy), Cistron (The Factor), Hard Aces (Hard Spun), Iotapa (Afleet Alex) and Lady of Shamrock (Scat Daddy).

“Things came together and thank God, John Sadler has done a great job, Juan Leva and Alex Bosano, everybody on the backside they made all this happen,” said Kosta Hronis. “They did a great job with the horse. We told Umberto to be aggressive, but if somebody was going to go let them go. But I think he just felt comfortable, it was just kind of the thing you had to come out and compete right off the bat and he did. He rode a great race, think he knew he had the horse to do it. We get to go to the Kentucky Derby, that's going to be a fun day. We're going to try to enjoy this for today. He's only had three starts, making his fourth start in his career in the Kentucky Derby, I guess we really have nothing to lose. Just go in there and enjoy it.”

Pedigree Notes:

Rock Your World is the 17th Grade I winner and 50th graded winner for the timeless Candy Ride. The Lane's End stallion is responsible for 98 black-type winners in total and also earned another graded winner as a broodmare sire earlier in the day courtesy of GIII Gazelle S. heroine Search Results (Flatter).

Juddmonte homebred Empire Maker, who died last January, continues to burnish his legacy as a sire and broodmare sire. Rock Your World is bred on the same cross as GI Frizette S. and GI Test S. heroine Separationofpowers (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GIII Hanshin Cup winner Crewman (Candy Ride {Arg}). Already one of 55 black-type winners out of a daughter of the 2003 GI Belmont S. victor, the winner is his 26th at the graded level and fifth Grade I winner as a broodmare sire.

Saturday, Santa Anita
RUNHAPPY SANTA ANITA DERBY-GI, $752,000, Santa Anita, 4-3, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.17, ft.
1–ROCK YOUR WORLD, 124, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Charm the Maker (MSW & MGISP, $340,290),
                                by Empire Maker
                2nd Dam: Charm the Giant (Ire), by Giant's Causeway
                3rd Dam: Olympic Charmer, by Olympio
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($650,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP). O-Hronis Racing LLC & Talla Racing LLC; B-Ron
& Deborah McAnally (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Umberto Rispoli.
$450,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $546,600. *Full to She's
Our Charm, GSP, $144,598. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Medina Spirit, 124, c, 3, Protonico–Mongolian Changa, by
Brilliant Speed. ($1,000 Ylg '19 OBSWIN; $35,000 2yo '20
OBSOPN). O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Gail Rice (FL); T-Bob
Baffert. $150,000.
3–Dream Shake, 124, c, 3, Twirling Candy–Even Song, by Street
Cry (Ire). ($32,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
'TDN Rising Star' O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, SAF Racing &
Richard Hausman; B-Dunwoody Farm (KY); T-Peter Eurton.
$90,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2 1/4, 4 3/4. Odds: 5.20, 0.90, 4.50.
Also Ran: Defunded, Law Professor, Parnelli, The Great One, Back Ring Luck, Ottothelegend. Scratched: Roman Centurian. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Santa Anita Derby Win Would Put Baffert In Tie With Lukas For Most North American Grade 1 Victories

History lies in wait for Bob Baffert should he win Saturday's Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, the West Coast's major steppingstone to the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

A victory by either favorite Medina Spirit or longshot Defunded, a recent maiden sprint winner, would add to the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer's record of nine Santa Anita Derby victories that started with California-bred Cavonnier in 1996 and culminating thus far with Roadster in 2019.

A win would also give Baffert his 219th Grade 1 stakes triumph, tying him with fellow Hall of Fame member D. Wayne Lukas for most Grade 1 victories in the United States and Canada since Jan. 1, 1976, through March 26, 2021.

The winning horse will earn 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, second through fourth 40, 20 and 10, respectively.

Baffert and Medina Spirit's owner, Amr Zedan, obviously have a vested interest in the race, as does private clocker Gary Young, the bloodstock agent who recommended Zedan buy the son of Protonico for the bargain price of $35,000.

To date the colt has earned nearly five times that amount and a victory in Saturday's $750,000 race, offering $450,000 to the winner, would be worth almost 13 times his purchase price.

Young is just back from the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he purchased a first-crop Gun Runner colt for Zedan at $1.7 million, the sale's second-highest price.

A clocker since he was 18 and an agent for more than 30 years, the 59-year-old Young acknowledges Medina Spirit is likely to face speed both inside and outside from his No. seven post position in a field of 10 going a mile and an eighth, including from John Shirreffs trainee Parnelli who adds blinkers, drew post position four and has noted speed rider Edwin Maldonado aboard for the first time, surefire indicators the horse will not be taken back early.

“We wanted our horse to have a target,” Young said. “He's trained really well since his last race (second by eight lengths behind undefeated but sidelined stablemate Life Is Good in the San Felipe Stakes March 6).

“In many ways it might look like he was a well-beaten second but when you consider he entrapped in that race … we're not saying he would have beaten Life Is Good, but I think it was a pretty gallant effort to run second under those conditions.”

It was discovered after the San Felipe that Medina Spirit had suffered a slightly entrapped epiglottis, necessitating minor throat surgery. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, an entrapped epiglottis is “a condition in which the thin membrane lying below the epiglottis moves up and covers the epiglottis. The abnormality may obstruct breathing.”

Added Young: “We respect the competition, but if he's getting his air better this time, it's got to be a plus.

“I think I speak for Bob and Mr. Zedan when I say he's going to be pretty tough in this race.”

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby is race eight of 12 with a 12 noon first post time. It will be broadcast live on NBCSN, with approximate post time 4:15 p.m. Pacific.

The local weather forecast is ideal, sunny skies with a high of 82 degrees.

The field for the 84th running of the race: Roman Centurian, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Dream Shake, Flavien Prat, 7-2; Rock Your World, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1; Parnelli, Edwin Maldonado, 20-1; Back Ring Luck, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Ottothelegend, Mario Gutierrez, 12-1; Medina Spirit, John Velazquez, 5-2; Law Professor, Kent Desormeaux, 10-1; The Great One, Abel Cedillo, 8-1; and Defunded, Mike Smith, 8-1.

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlines six stakes on Saturday, four of them graded and two showcasing California-bred or sired runners.

Purses on Saturday's blockbuster program total $2,196,000, the six stakes alone offering a combined $1,750,000.

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Santa Anita Derby Still Goes Through Baffert Barn

Even after the defection of unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) due to an ankle chip, Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby will still go through Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's barn.

Medina Spirit (Protonico), just a $35,000 OBS July 2-year-old pick-up by Zedan Racing Stables last year, was a game-as-can-be narrow winner of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. two starts back over 'TDN Rising Star' Roman Centurian (Empire Maker) and subsequent GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow).

Medina Spirit was also second-best behind his aforementioned sidelined stablemate twice, including eight lengths adrift most recently in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 6.

Baffert, also represented by second-out, come-from-behind six-furlong maiden winner Defunded (Dialed In) Mar. 6, has won a record nine Runhappy Santa Anita Derbies.

Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) switches to dirt after opening his career with a pair of visually impressive victories on turf, including the one-mile Pasadena S. last time Feb. 27. Rock Your World, a $650,000 KEESEP yearling graduate, fired a five-furlong warning shot for John Sadler in :59 1/5 (1/82) at Santa Anita Mar. 28. The dark bay is out of the Empire Maker mare Charm the Maker, heroine of the Sharp Cat S. and placegetter in the GI Hollywood Starlet S. and GI Oak Leaf S.

'TDN Rising Star' Dream Shake (Twirling Candy), a flashy debut winner sprinting for Peter Eurton Feb. 7, was a distant third while making his two-turn debut in the San Felipe, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of fourth-place finisher Roman Centurian. The latter is expected to scratch and could resurface in either the GI Arkansas Derby or GIII Lexington S., according to a report in Daily Racing Form.

Law Professor (Constitution), eighth in the Dream Shake maiden, followed up with a promising graduation going a two-turn mile over this course Mar. 5.

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Medina Spirit, Baffert’s Santa Anita Derby Stand-In, ‘Went Very Nice’ In Breeze

Medina Spirit, twice runner-up to Life Is Good, worked four furlongs Sunday in 48 seconds flat as the Protonico colt prepares to deputize for his undefeated but sidelined stablemate in Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

“He went very nice (under jockey Juan Ochoa),” said Bob Baffert, who is seeking to add to his record of nine Santa Anita Derby victories.

“I also worked Hozier (runner-up to unbeaten stablemate Concert Tour in the March 13 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, five furlongs in 1:00.80), Charlatan (four furlongs in 48 flat) and Gamine (five furlongs in 59.60).”

Life Is Good was favored in the most recent Future Wager to win the May 1 Kentucky Derby before a small chip in his left hind ankle was detected following a workout on March 20, forcing him to miss the race and necessitating surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., two days ago.

“The surgery went well,” Baffert said. “I received great reports on it. It was minor, so that was good and he should be back (racing) a lot sooner than we thought he would.”

G1 Malibu Stakes winner Charlatan and Eclipse Award champion female sprinter Gamine are scheduled to run at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, Charlatan in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes and Gamine in the G1 Derby City Distaff, both at seven furlongs.

Trainer John Sadler sent Runhappy Santa Anita Derby candidate Rock Your World five furlongs Sunday morning in a bullet 59.20, fastest of 76 drills at the distance, more than two seconds faster than the average time of 1:01.37.

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlines six stakes on Saturday, four of them graded and two showcasing California-bred or sired runners.

In addition to the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, they are the G22 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the G2 Royal Heroine for fillies and mares 4 and up at one mile on turf; and the G3 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Also, two Golden State Series races, the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs and the $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs.

In all, the six stakes offer $1,750,000 in purse money. Entries for Saturday's race will be taken on Wednesday.

Saturday's latest local weather forecasts partly cloudy skies, one percent chance of rain and a high of 78 degrees.

First post time will be 12 noon.

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