santa anita derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

With Limited Fans Back On Track, Santa Anita Records Best Derby Day Handle Since 2007

With fans returning on a restricted basis this weekend for the first time in over a year, 8,246 on-track attendees at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., witnessed a tremendous day of racing on Saturday, as the 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby highlighted a 12-race program that produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 — the largest Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day handle since 2007.

The Runhappy Derby, which was carded as Saturday's eighth race, was taken by Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's Rock Your World, who was making only his third start and his first on dirt. Trained by John Sadler and ridden in gate to wire fashion by Umberto Rispoli, the 3-year-old colt by Candy Ride powered to a 4 ¼-length victory over Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit and paid $12.40 to win.

Bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, Rock Your World picked up 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and will thus try to become the 19th horse to exit the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and go on to win the Run for the Roses on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

The Grade 2, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks, carded as race six, went to the Richard Mandella-trained Soothsay, who made a bold move heading into the far turn under Flavien Prat and prevailed by a half length over Baffert's Beautiful Gift. Owned by Claiborne Farm, Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass and Adele Dilschneider, Soothsay paid $10.40 to win and she collected 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, which puts her in the gate for the “Filly Derby” on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

While Sadler collected his second Runhappy Santa Anita Derby victory, Mandella won the Santa Anita Oaks for the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career.

With three wins, two of them in stakes, Phil D'Amato moved to the top of the trainer standings as he leads Baffert by a 29-28 margin.

Riding sensation Flavien Prat bagged four wins on the afternoon, all of them in stakes, and he opened up an incredible 30-win advantage over Juan Hernandez in the jockey standings, 80-50, through 45 racing days.

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. With no walk-up admission, fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com/open, to purchase reserved seating. Santa Anita continues to offer all of its races free of charge at santaanita.com/live.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Out Of The Weeds: Rock Your World Wins Santa Anita Derby In Main Track Debut

Although he was two for two on grass, Rock Your World had one big question to answer on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.: Would he run as well on dirt? Question answered, as he dominated nine rivals en route to a rousing 4 ¼-length win in the 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli and trained by John Sadler, the 3-year-old colt by Candy Ride, who was bred by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, got a mile and one eighth in 1:49.17.

With longshot Parnelli and favored Medina Spirit gunning for the early lead as expected, Rispoli appeared to take his measure of the competition heading into the clubhouse turn, allowing his mount to get into stride, which he did, taking command into the turn and from there, dictating terms throughout.

With a three-quarter-length advantage on both Parnelli and Medina Spirit at the half mile pole, Rock Your World got stronger as the race progressed, chugging through splits of :22.42, :46.11, 1:10.64 and 1:36.27. Although both Parnelli and Medina Spirit were “all-in” a quarter mile out, the Derby was essentially over as none of the others could make up any ground through the lane.

“We have been laying in the weeds,” said Sadler, who bagged his second Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. “I thought it would be good to start this horse off on the turf, much like Omaha Beach, 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.

“…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 number one Roman Centurian) of us. It worked out great and I'm very excited.”

A handy winner of the ungraded Pasadena Stakes going a mile on turf Feb. 27, Rock Your World was off at 5-1 and paid $12.40, $4.60 and $3.40.

Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC or Talla Racing, LLC, Rock Your World is out of the McAnally's Empire Maker mare Charm the Maker. With the winner's share of $450,000, Rock Your World increased his earnings to $546,600 and is now unbeaten in three starts.

Favored at 4-5, Medina Spirit appeared to have a perfect trip while second-best, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Medina Spirit. Ridden by John Velazquez, Medina Spirit paid $2.80 and $2.20.

“The horse ran well, but the winner took the lead on a fast track and kept running,” said Velazquez. “My horse kept coming and kept coming but couldn't catch up. He did have some left in the tank at the end and he kept coming, but the other horse got away pretty well and opened up again. It was too hard to catch up.”

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Dream Shake was forwardly placed throughout, but never threatened for the win. Off at 9-2, he paid $2.80 to show.

“We had a good trip and it was a bit, you know, drawing gate side was not the best spot but the horse was travelling well and the race went well,” said Prat.

With 170 Kentucky Derby qualifying points at stake, Rock Your World will receive 100, with 40, 20 and 10 points awarded to the second, third and fourth place finishers.

Updated Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

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$551,699 In Jackpot For Saturday’s Mandatory Payout Of Santa Anita Rainbow Pick 6

With a tremendous 12-race card in prospect and the 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlining a total of six stakes on Saturday, there is a mandatory payout and thus the possibility of a 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool of $5 million according to track officials.

Saturday's Rainbow Six will start with race seven, which has an assigned post time of 3:32 p.m. PT. After Friday's program there was a carryover into the Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot of $551,699.

With the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby carded as race eight, it will be leg two in the Rainbow 6 and be broadcast live on NBCSN, with approximate post time set at 4:15 p.m. PT.

In addition to the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, Saturday's blockbuster program will include the Grade 2, $400,000 Sant Anita Oaks, the Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Heroine, the Grade 3, $100,000 Providencia, the $150,000 Evening Jewel, and the $150,000 Echo Eddie.

Entries and complete morning line information for Saturday's races is available atsantaanita.com.

Santa Anita is now open to the General Public on a limited basis. Fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com/open to obtain admission and reserved seating prior to arriving at Santa Anita.

Due to state and local COVID guidelines, there will be no walk-up admission and all attendees must pre-register for proof of reserved seating. All admission as well as food and beverage transactions are required to be contactless, with no cash accepted.

For those not attending in-person, Santa Anita will continue to offer all of its races free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager via several different ADW platforms, including 1ST.com/bet.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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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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