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Messier Bounces Back and Blows Them Away in Bob Lewis

Messier gave trainer Bob Baffert and jockey John Velazquez their second dominant graded winner of the afternoon when he flew home an unchallenged victor of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Shedding the blinkers after getting outkicked in the Dec. 11 GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time out, the 3-5 favorite tugged his way to the fore with little encouragement from Velazquez. Second choice Sir London (Malibu Moon) chased the pace with longshot Cabo Spirit latched on the top two while racing three deep. Sir London was first to blink as Cabo Spirit did his best to keep pace rounding the home bend, but there was no running down Messier, who galloped home by 15 lengths as nobody from the back made any impact.

Messier is the fourth straight Lewis winner for Baffert, but like his stablemate Adare Manor who won the GIII Las Virgenes S. earlier on Sunday's card, the colt was ineligible to collect the race's qualifying Kentucky Derby points due to the trainer's current ban at Churchill Downs.
Second in his five-furlong debut at Los Alamitos last June, Messier returned four months later and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 6 1/2-length romp going six furlongs at Santa Anita Oct. 22. He followed up with a win in the Nov. 14 GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar, but was second as the 1-5 favorite behind Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) in the Dec. 11 GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time out.

Pedigree Notes:
Checkered Past, a two-time stakes winner for breeder Sam-Son Farm, produced a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2021 and was bred back to GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic. The 12-year-old mare sold to Silesia Farm for $290,000 as part of the Sam-Son dispersal at last year's Keeneland January sale.
Messier's second dam is the unraced Catch the Flag (A.P. Indy), a full-sister to Canadian champion Catch the Thrill (A.P. Indy).

Sunday, Santa Anita
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GIII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 2-6, 3yo,
1 1/16m, 1:42.89, ft.
1–MESSIER, 120, c, 3, by Empire Maker
1st Dam: Checkered Past (MSW, $334,284), by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Catch the Flag, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Catch the Ring, by Seeking the Gold
'TDN Rising Star' ($470,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-SF Racing LLC,
Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson,
Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine M.
Donovan, Golconda Stable & Siena Farm LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm
(ON); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R. Velazquez. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-3-2-0, $285,600. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cabo Spirit, 124, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Fancy Day (Ire), by
Shamardal. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '21
OBSAPR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-George Papaprodromou. $40,000.
3–Wharton, 120, c, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Her Smile, by Include.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($475,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables
LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge
Capital LLC, Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable & Siena
Farm LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: 15, 7, 4HF. Odds: 0.60, 18.20, 4.40.
Also Ran: Sir London, Happy Jack. 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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Adare Manor Wins Las Virgenes By 13 Lengths

In a near replica of her smashing maiden win, Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor crushed three rivals by 13 lengths in Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by John Velazquez, Adare Manor got one mile in 1:37.11.

With longshot Gracelund Gray going to the front, Adare Manor, who was well in-hand, tracked her to the 3 ½-furlong pole and began to inch away as she quickly asserted her superiority. Turning for home, the Las Virgenes was a fait accompli, as Adare Manor opened up six widening lengths on Queen of Thorns in what developed into an equine procession.

“Today, I engaged her right from the gate and she got a little bit strong at the first turn, so I had to grab her a little bit to slow her down the first part of the race,” said Velazquez, who was aboard for a 12 length, gate to wire maiden victory at the same distance on Jan. 7. “Once we got to the half mile pole, I kind of put my hands down on her and her long stride just kept going like that.

“I just left her alone and let her get into her rhythm, and she just showed up today. I looked back a couple of times and I slowed it down. I looked up and saw they were pretty far (back) and I backed up, thinking, I should save something here although she was breathing fire up front. I didn't want to ask her down the lane and then Bob would get mad at me. I definitely wanted to save something.”

In her first stakes appearance, Adare Manor, a filly by Uncle Mo out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, was off at 2-5 and paid $2.80 and $2.10 with no show wagering.

“She duplicated her last race, you know, she's got that big, long stride on her,” said Baffert, who notched his record sixth win in the Las Virgenes. “I sprinted her twice and I thought she'd win each of those times and then I thought, well, she wants to go long…She's like an amazon, she's got that big, powerful (way of moving).

“She's got that big frame but she's quick. She relaxed nicely today… I think that time is pretty serious on this track. Just gotta keep 'em healthy. I've run her twice now (at the current meet), I don't want to come back too quick with her.”

Adare Manor is now 4-2-1-0 and with the winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $176,600.

In what amounted to a separate race, Queen of Thorns, who was second turning for home, stayed there, finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of Miss Everything. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Queen of Thorns was off at 5-2 and paid $2.60 to place.

Fractions on the race were 22.72, 46.66, 1:11.06 and 1:23.75.

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‘As Good As He’s Ever Looked’: Flightline Breezes Half-Mile For March 5 San Carlos

Undefeated and unchallenged Flightline, a horse on everybody's radar, continued to prepare for his 4-year-old debut in Santa Anita's Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes March 5, working a half-mile at the Arcadia, Calif., track on Sunday in :47.80 under Juan Leyva.

Former jockey Leyva is assistant trainer to John Sadler, who conditions the undefeated son of Tapit, winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes by 11 ½ lengths on Dec. 26 and his three races to date by a combined margin of 37 ½ lengths.

“He went very well, looked super, as good as he's ever looked, going a half-mile in 47 and four and (galloping) out (five furlongs) in a minute flat, effortlessly,” Sadler said.

“We're right on track for the San Carlos (at seven furlongs, the same distance as the Malibu).”

As to Flightline's growing reputation, Sadler said, “I don't think it would be braggadocios to say he obviously is on everybody's radar in racing, because he looks like such an exceptional horse.”

As dominant as he is in his races, Sadler said the $1 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase is a sweetheart under the shed row.

“He's nice around the barn,” Sadler said. “He can be tough on the race track, but around the barn he's very nice.”

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Shirreffs ‘Looking Forward To The Big ‘Cap’ After San Pasqual Win By Express Train

It's full steam ahead for C R K Stable's Express Train as he ran perhaps the best race of his career in winning the Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes for the second year in a row and stamped himself a primary contender for the Grade 1, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Victor Espinoza, Express Train, who was in the thick of a hot early pace duel, powered to a 3 ¼-length victory while covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.99.

With Eight Rings breaking on top, Express Train, along with both American Theorem and Law Professor, were in hot pursuit in the run to the Club House turn. With American Theorem taken back off the dueling leaders at the seven-furlong pole, Express Train settled into a nice rhythm with Law Professor to his outside in the run to the far turn.

John Velazquez, aboard Eight Rings, stepped on the gas three furlongs out, but Express Train was just three quarters of a length back and he enjoyed a one length edge at the quarter pole. At that point, Law Professor loomed ominously turning for home, but Express Train was able to shrug off the challenge approaching the furlong marker in a huge effort.

“It got a little complicated out of the gate because I thought the two horses outside of me were going to go and make the pace,” said Espinoza. “Then the one (longshot Kiss Today Goodbye) decided to take back…So that kind of made my decision to go forward and stay there rather than be stuck on the inside. It's all about the horses too. Express Train, he helped me to move with such confidence at that point that I was not afraid to just let him go.

“I think the last time (a nose victory in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26), he won but he was not 100 percent, because he had a little time off in between that race. But now, he's ready to go. I had the opportunity to come and work him a couple times…Coming into this race I was confident but in the race, anything can happen. Things got a little complicated, but we resolved them quick.”

The 8-5 favorite in a field of six older horses, Express Train, a 5-year-old horse by Union Rags, paid $5.20, $2.80 and $2.10.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, LLC, Express Train, who is out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, registered his fourth graded stakes win and improved his overall mark to 16-6-4-3. With the winner's take of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $935,800.

“I think this was a little bit more difficult for him,” said Shirreffs, when asked to compare Express Train's win today with his triumph in the 2021 San Pasqual. “There was lot going on early with the fast pace…Nobody got to relax because Mike's horse (Smith, aboard American Theorem) came up on the outside and wanted to force the pace so it was do or die time then. We're looking forward to the Big 'Cap.”

Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Law Professor, who came into the race off a big win in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile Dec. 26, looked as though he'd give the winner all he wanted, but couldn't go with him the final three sixteenths of a mile. Off at 4-1, he paid $4.20 and $2.60 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of early leader Eight Rings.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Eight Rings, the 2-1 favorite, paid $2.40 to show while finishing three quarters of a length in front of stablemate Spielberg.

Fractions on the race were 22.72, 47.16, 1:11.75 and 1:37.32.

First post time for a nine-race card, which will include two graded stakes on Sunday, is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

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