santa anita derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Still Green’ Life Is Good Exits San Felipe Romp In Good Order

Life Is Good: unbeaten, unchallenged, undaunted.

The $525,000 son of Into Mischief posted his third straight victory Saturday in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., breaking like a shot from his inside post position and rolling to an eight-length triumph despite meandering through the stretch.

Next up: the G1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby April 3.

“He came out of the race really well,” Bob Baffert said Sunday morning. “We're looking at staying home for the Santa Anita Derby.”

Mike Smith, who has ridden Life Is Good in each of his three races, attributed the bay colt's drifting through the lane to ogling at the track's infield screen.

“When the screen is lit up, they can see it,” Smith said after the race. “In the mornings, he goes by the screen like it's nothing because it's not on. He was locked on it down the lane today. He's so talented. I had a strong hold on him down to the wire, just holding onto him, making sure that he stayed straight.”

But Baffert, who added to his record of seven San Felipe victories, was unconcerned about the colt's sightseeing antics and wasn't contemplating any equipment changes.

“He's still green,” Baffert said matter-of-factly. “Remember Authentic did all that weaving one race … they're still babies. They're still immature. The main thing is he came out of it really well. We saw a lot of raw talent yesterday.”

Baffert trainee Medina Spirit, purchased for 15 times less than Life Is Good ($35,000), ran a game second in the San Felipe under John Velazquez, who won the Kentucky Derby for Baffert last year on Authentic, eventual Horse of the Year.

“He's a good horse and we needed to run first or second (with him) to continue on (the Triple Crown trail),” Baffert said.

“He'll either run here (in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby) or the Arkansas Derby April 10). I'm not sure yet.”

The post ‘Still Green’ Life Is Good Exits San Felipe Romp In Good Order appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sadler ‘Looking At The Santa Anita Derby’ With Listed Turf Stakes Winner Rock Your World

Undefeated in two starts, both on the turf, including Saturday's $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., sophomore colt Rock Your World could be headed to dirt to chase points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. According to drf.com, trainer John Sadler is interested in running the son of Candy Ride in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

“We'll be looking at the Santa Anita Derby,” Sadler confirmed to the DRF. “The spacing is good, the distance is good, and we feel he'll thrive going even farther. We'll see how March treats us.”

A $650,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale, Rock Your World is out of the multiple stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Charm the Maker. The mare won her two stakes races on the synthetic, but is a half-sister to G2 winner on the turf, Liam the Charmer.

Fincher Looks To Oaklawn, Santa Anita Preps For Late-Running Senor Buscador

Fifth as the second-favorite in last weekend's Grade 2 Risen Star at the Fair Grounds, the late-running Senor Buscador will be aimed toward another Kentucky Derby prep race at at different track. Trainer Todd Fincher told drf.com that the 3-year-old son of Mineshaft, winner of the Remington Springboard Mile in just his second career start, needs a pace setup and track surface that suit his closing style.

“I think he ran a way better race than it looks on paper,” Fincher told drf.com. “He made a big burst in the turn. The way everything was playing it was death to him. Watching all day, nothing closed, really. And the pace wasn't fast to begin with. Everything was against him. When you've got a horse like him, things have to go your way.”

Options on the table for the Joe Peacock homebred include the G2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on March 13 and the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Baffert Pair Sandwich Lewis Field: ‘We’ll Learn More About Both Horses’

There are no “throw outs” in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Everyone came to play.

In arguably one of the most competitive fields in its 83 editions, dating back to 1935 when it was presented as the Santa Catalina Handicap, Saturday's Grade 3 test for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles looms a major steppingstone to the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and awards 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, four to the runner-up, two to the third horse and one point to the fourth.

Drawing an inside post with Medina Spirit and an outside post with Spielberg, Bob Baffert has the field of eight sandwiched, at least on paper. Whether the sandwich contains baloney or filet mignon remains to be seen.

Should Baffert win, it would mark the third straight victory in the Lewis for the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer. He won last year with Thousand Words and in 2019 with Mucho Gusto. Overall, he has won the race a record eight times, dating back to 1999 with General Challenge.

Subsequent winners were Domestic Dispute (2003), Pioneerof the Nile (2009), Flashback (2013), Dortmund (2015), Mor Spirit (2016) and the aforementioned Mucho Gusto and Thousand Words.

“I don't like being stuck inside, and on the outside, you lose ground, but I think we'll learn more about both horses,” Baffert said. “Right now, we're just trying to figure out their styles and how good they are. They'll start separating themselves. Until they go a mile and an eighth, that's when you'll really know.”

Coincidentally, Medina Spirit had the number one post position last out when he was second to Baffert's individual Kentucky Derby Future Book favorite, unbeaten Life Is Good, in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes Jan. 2, while Spielberg had the outside number six post last out Dec. 19 when the $1 million son of Union Rags won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity by a nose over The Great One.

“I'll just let the riders ride their race and see what happens,” Baffert said of the Lewis, in which Abel Cedillo is aboard Medina Spirit for the third consecutive race and Flavien Prat returns on Spielberg for the second time.

Meanwhile, Charlatan worked “really well” Wednesday, going six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.60 as Baffert prepares him for the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20

Responding to newly-crowned Horse of the Year Authentic's victory in the 146th Kentucky Derby being voted the 2020 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on results of 3,403 votes cast on Twitter and an online poll, Baffert concurred.

“Authentic deserves that honor,” Baffert said. “He was the most exciting horse to watch last year.”

The Lewis is named for the late owner and philanthropist whose Silver Charm (co-owned by his wife, Beverly) gave Baffert his first Kentucky Derby win in 1997 (he now has six). The Lewises also won the 1999 Derby with Charismatic, trained by D. Wayne Lukas.

The Lewis, race seven of eight with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Medina Spirit, Abel Cedillo, 5-2; Rombauer, Mike Smith, 8-1; Parnelli, Umberto Rispoli, 12-1; Hot Rod Charlie, Joel Rosario, 3-1; Roman Centurian, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Waspirant, Ricardo Gonzalez, 20-1; Wipe the Slate, Mario Gutierrez, 4-1; and Spielberg, Flavien Prat, 7-2.

The post Baffert Pair Sandwich Lewis Field: ‘We’ll Learn More About Both Horses’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post