Rockefeller (Medaglia d'Oro) returns to the West Coast for Baffert after securing a front-running victory in Belmont's one-turn mile GIII Nashua S. Nov. 7. The $750,000 KEESEP yearling was previously fourth behind his unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning stablemate Corniche (Quality Road) in the GI American Pharoah S. Oct 1. Rockefeller is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the Sham.

Baffert will also tighten the girth on sharp six-furlong Del Mar Nov. 28 debut winner Newgrange (Violence). The highly regarded second-place finisher that day Got Thunder (Arrogate) returns to action at Santa Anita Friday evening.

Baffert's most recent of seven Sham winners include: MGISW McKinzie (Street Sense) (2018), Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief) (2020) and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief) (2021).

A multiple stakes winner on turf and most recently a close third with a rough trip in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 5, Mackinnon (American Pharoah) returns to dirt. The Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. Sept. 6 and Zuma Beach S. Oct. 3 winner was a well-beaten fourth in his lone prior try on dirt on debut going 4 1/2 furlongs in Arcadia May 9.

A qualifying race for the 2022 GI Kentucky Derby, excluding horses trained by Baffert, the Sham winner will receive 10 qualifying points, with four to second, two to third and one to the fourth-place finisher. Churchill Downs banned Baffert for two years following the well-documented corticosteroid betamethasone positive of the late Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico).

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Owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing, LLC, Madaket Stables, LLC, out of the Scat Daddy mare Scat Means Go, Mackinnon will try the main track for the first time since a fourth place finish going 4 ½ furlongs in his debut six starts back on May 9 here at Santa Anita.

Third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by Modern Games in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 5 at Del Mar, Mackinnon is a colt that has always trained well on dirt and will thus be given an opportunity to the early Derby waters on Saturday. Easily the leading money earner in the field with $327,860, Mackinnon has three one mile turf wins to his credit and is 6-3-1-1 overall.

A recent G3 stakes winner going a one turn mile in New York, Bob Baffert's Rockefeller will no doubt contend for favoritism in what will be his fourth career start.

A 2 ¼ length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 28, Rockefeller was a well beaten fourth by his stablemate and eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Corniche in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes going 1 1/16 miles here on Oct. 1. Sent to Belmont Park for his third start, Rockefeller, who is by Medaglia d'Oro, out of the Speightstown mare Dance to Bristol, was off as the 4-5 favorite in the G3 Nashua Stakes and responded with 2 ¾ length win accomplished in gate to wire fashion.

Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC and Robert Masterson, Rockefeller, who was purchased for $750,000 out of the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, will be ridden by Flavien Prat.

Baffert will also be represented by Newgrange, a first-out maiden winner going six furlongs on Nov. 28 at Del Mar. By Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, he's owned Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Waves Edge Capital LLC, and partners and will be ridden back by John Velazquez.

THE GRADE 3 SHAM STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

1. Mackinnon—Juan Hernandez—124
2. Oviatt Class—Kent Desormeaux—120
3. Newgrange—John Velazquez–120
4. Rockefeller—Flavien Prat—124
5. Degree of Risk—Umberto Rispoli–120

First post time for a 10-race card, which will include four graded stakes on Saturday is at 12 noon. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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A key prep for the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the San Felipe, which was won last year by Baffert's eventual Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic, will be contested for the 83rd time, with Baffert bidding to win it for a record eighth time on Saturday.

Owned by CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm, Life Is Good, a Kentucky-bred colt by Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk, was making his second start in the Sham and was off as the 1-5 favorite. Although he opened up a four length advantage at the top of the lane, he narrowly held sway by three quarters of a length over stablemate Medina Spirit, who helps provide Baffert with a solid one-two punch on Saturday.

A 9 ½ length first-out maiden winner at 1-5 going 6 ½ furlongs on Nov. 22 at Del Mar, Life Is Good, a $525,000 Keeneland September Yearling, has been no secret and will likely go favored in his third start with regular rider Mike Smith up.

Baffert is also well-armed with Medina Spirit, who comes off a gutty neck win at even money in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth on Jan. 30. A bargain $35,000 purchase at age two, Medina Spirit set a fast pace and was extra game in victory while prevailing over both Roman Centurian and highly regarded Hot Rod Charlie on the gallop out as well. A fast finishing second, beaten three quarters of length by his stablemate Life Is Good in the Grade 3 Sham on Jan. 2, Medina Spirit has shown tremendous heart in his last two races.

Owned by Zedan Racing, Stables, Inc., Medina Spirit is a Florida-bred colt by the Giant's Causeway stallion Prontonico, out of Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed. A winner of two of his three starts, Medina Spirit will be ridden for the first time by eastern-based John Velazquez.

Second, beaten a nose by Baffert's Spielberg while still a maiden in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 19, Doug O'Neill's The Great One came back to blitz maidens by 14 lengths in a one mile maiden race here on Jan. 23. A Louisiana-bred colt by O'Neill's 2016 Florida and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, The Great One has the benefit of ample seasoning, as he'll be making his sixth start and be going a route of ground for the fifth consecutive time.

A $185,000 purchase at age two, The Great One, who is out of the El Corredor mare Little Ms Protocol, is owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing LLC, Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall J. Brennan, Tom Fritz and William Strauss and is named for NHL hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

A big second, beaten a neck by Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Lewis Stakes Jan. 30, Simon Callaghan's Roman Centurian, who was an impressive maiden winner at the San Felipe distance two starts back on Jan. 3, rallied from well off the pace to come up a neck short in a three-horse Robert B. Lewis photo. Tractable early, this son of Empire Maker gives every indication he'll improve with added distance as he tries a mile and one sixteenth for the third consecutive time.

Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Roman Centurian is out of the Bernardini mare Spare Change. Owned by Don Alberto and Qatar Racing Limited, he'll be making his fourth start and be handled by regular rider Juan Hernandez.

Although he's only run once, Peter Eurton's Dream Shake could not have been anymore impressive in breaking his 6 ½ furlong maiden by 4 ¾ lengths here on Feb. 7. Despite the fact he was ridden by Joel Rosario, Dream Shake, a Kentucky-bred colt by Twirling Candy, was off at a whopping 20-1, but won like an odds-on favorite.

Owned by Exline-Border Racing, LLC, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman, Dream Shake, who is out of the Street Cry mare Even Song, would appear to be taking a giant leap in his second start, but he retains the services of Rosario and therefore looms a serious threat with a 96 Beyer in-hand.

THE GRADE 2 SAN FELIPE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

1. Life Is Good—Mike Smith—122
2. Dream Shake—Joel Rosario–120
3. Medina Spirit—John Velazquez—122
4. None Above the Law—Flavien Prat–120
5. The Great One—Abel Cedillo—120
6. Govenor's Party—Mario Gutierrez—120
7. Roman Centurian—Juan Hernandez–120

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With only five entered, this kind or race will be one in which tactics are everything. Additionally, with three of the five (Life is Good, Medina Spirit and Uncle Boogie) stretching out in distance and trying two turns for the first time, the pace could be faster than average. Life is Good earned the best Equibase Speed Figure in the field, 106, winning his one and only race by nine lengths leading from start to finish. However, he ran the first six furlongs in :44.8 which, if repeated in the Sham likely means he would be vulnerable to being passed late.

Parnelli led from the start and through the opening half-mile in his first two races at a mile, missing by a neck in the latter of the two races with a very strong 105 figure on par with Life is Good. Then in his most recent start, Parnelli relaxed in third in the early stages, about one and one-half lengths from the leader, before drawing off to win by nearly six lengths. Therefore it stands to reason Parnelli might be the one closest to Life is Good in the early stages and if indeed that colt goes too fast early, Parnelli is the one to pass Life is Good and win the Sham Stakes.

Medina Spirit earned a 99 figure winning his debut three weeks ago, at the distance of five and one-half furlongs. Although improvement can be expected off the experience of that debut, it may be a lot to ask to stretch out two and one-half furlongs (more than a quarter mile) and run as well compared to horses with experience at the distance like Parnelli or a horse like Life is Good who also can improve and who earned a figure seven points higher in his debut.

Uncle Boogie won his debut at five and one-half furlongs in October, as impressively as either Medina Spirit or Life is Good, but only earned a 79 figure. However, he improved to 84 in his second start (when the runner-up) then repeated that 84 figure effort when rallying from sixth to second in the Bob Hope Stakes in mid-November. Likely to be last of the five in the early stages, if the early pace is contested and much faster than average, Uncle Boogie could be passing them all for the upset win.

Waspirant rounds out the field, having won at this mile trip in August in his second career start with an 81 figure, then a non-threatening fourth in the American Pharoah Stakes at the end of September. It's a tough question to ask a horse to come back off three months in a route against horses who have shown to be faster and which have run much more recently.

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Parnelli
Life is Good

Sham Stakes – Grade 3
Race 8 at Santa Anita
Saturday, January 2, 2021 – Post Time 7 PM E.T.
One Mile
3-Year-Olds
Purse: $100,000

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Named in honor of the winner of the 1973 Santa Anita Derby, the Sham winner will receive 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, with four to second, two to third and one Derby qualifying point to the fourth place finisher.

Off at 1-5 with Mike Smith up in a field of five going 6 ½ furlongs on Nov. 22 at Del Mar, Life Is Good earned a lofty 91 Beyer Speed figure in his maiden win, easily best of those competing in the Sham. Purchased as a Keeneland September Yearling for $525,000, he made the lead easily through splits of 21.80, 44.80 and 1:09 flat en route to a smashing 9 ½ length score while getting the distance in 1:15.40.

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West, Life Is Good is by top stallion Into Mischief and is out of the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk, who was winless in five starts. Owned by China Horse Club, Inc. and WinStar Farm, Life Is Good will be making his second start as he tries to provide Baffert, who won the 2020 Sham with eventual Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, with his record seventh Sham Stakes winner.

Baffert will also be represented by first-out maiden winner Medina Spirit, who sped to a three length score going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11 while earning a 76 Beyer.

The John Shirreffs-conditioned Parnelli, a $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling, was attentive to the early pace en route to a huge 5 ¾ length maiden win as the 1-5 favorite going a flat mile at Del Mar on Nov. 28. Owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, Parnelli, who is by Quality Road, out of the unraced Bernardini mare Sip Sip, will likely set a close second to Life Is Good in what will be his fifth start. Second in his first three assignments, the last two at one mile, Parnelli earned a 79 Beyer in breaking his maiden and will be ridden back by Drayden Van Dyke.

Shirreffs will also saddle Waspirant, who also broke his maiden at one mile, winning by three quarters of a lengths after stalking the pace on Aug. 29 at Del Mar with regular rider Umberto Rispoli. Subsequently a well beaten fourth in the G1 American Pharoah going a mile and one sixteenth here Sept. 26, he'll be making his fourth start and third consecutive try at two turns in the Sham.

Owned and bred by Pam and Martin Wygod, Waspirant is by Union Rags out of the Storm Cat mare Life is Sweet, who was a multiple Grade I stakes winning earner of more than $1.8 million.

A first-out maiden $32,000 claiming winner going 5 ½ furlongs here on Oct. 12, trainer Andrew Lerner's Uncle Boogie came back to be a solid second in a first condition allowance going 5 ½ furlongs as the even money favorite at Del Mar Oct. 31. Most recently second to runaway winner Red Flag in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs Nov. 15, Uncle Boogie, a Florida-bred colt by Ride On Curlin who was purchased for $38,000 at an Ocala Sales 2-year-old in training sale in July, retains the services of Flavien Prat will likely seek a stalking trip in his first try around two turns. Owned by Eric Homme, he'll be making his fourth overall start.

THE G3 SHAM STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Medina Spirit—Abel Cedillo—120
2. Waspirant—Umberto Rispoli—120
3. Parnelli—Drayden Van Dyke—120
4. Uncle Boogie—Flavien Prat—120
5. Life Is Good—Mike Smith—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

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“If all is going well, it looks like the Sham will be his next race,” Baffert said. “It will give me a chance to stretch him out. Then I will decide on what’s next and look at races like the Rebel at Oaklawn.”

Owned by WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club, Life Is Good was purchased for $525,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale. He made his debut Nov. 22 at Del Mar and instantly stamped himself as a contender for the 2021 Triple Crown with a 9 1/2-length win in which jockey Mike Smith never appeared to ask the horse for his best. His final time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:15.50 and he earned a 90 Beyer figure.

In the first round of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Life Is Good was the top choice after the “all others” option. He closed at 5-1, putting him ahead of Essential Quality (Tapit). The winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the likely 2020 champion 2-year-old male, Essential Quality closed at 8-1.

Baffert noted that his 2020 GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) also won at first asking during the Bing Crosby meet at Del Mar before winning the Sham in his second career start.

“You can’t get an allowance race for these horses to fill around here,” Baffert said. “I ran Authentic in the Sham last year after he broke his maiden at Del Mar. The Sham looks like a logical spot.”

Baffert said he is looking forward to finding out more about Life Is Good.

“He’s got a great sire and they way he ran was impressive,” he said. “He’s got raw talent like American Pharoah and Justify. I think Authentic had that raw talent, too. But he was just immature at the time. This horse gives us something to get excited about, but they’ve got to go two turns first. I didn’t know how good American Pharoah was until he did it.”

Should Life Is Good make it to the Kentucky Derby, he will be in position to give Baffert his third win in the race over the last four years and his fourth since 2015. With six Derby wins, he is tied with Ben Jones for most by a trainer.

“I train for all the big guys, like WinStar,” he said. “I’ve made it to point where these people send me good horses and that makes my job easier. And we’ve figured out what to do with them when we do get a good one.”

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