On a record-setting opening day at Santa Anita, Zedan Racing Stable's Taiba (Gun Runner) earned his third Grade I victory and bolstered his chances for an Eclipse award with a 4 1/4-length victory in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. Monday in Arcadia. The win was the fifth on the card for trainer Bob Baffert, who recorded three graded victories with Fun to Dream (Arrogate) winning the GI La Brea S. and Country Grammer (Tonalist) taking the GII San Antonio S. Baffert was also represented by Faustin (Curlin), who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his debut win in the card's fourth race.
“It just shows you the clientele that we have,” Baffert said of the brace of wins. “It is unbelievable, they let us buy these horses and I have a great team and staff. Everyone works hard, and when you are given these horses, you're lucky if you know what to do with them and sometimes you don't.
Baffert wasn't the only one having a good day in the California sunshine, as an on-track crowd of 41,446 produced an all-time opening day record all-sources pari-mutuel handle of more than $26 million.
“I just want to thank all the fans who showed up today,” Baffert said. “It is beautiful when you win with this many people here. Santa Anita is the Great Race Place.”
Taiba, the 2-5 Malibu favorite, tracked pacesetting Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) through fractions of :22.18 and :44.38. He overtook the pacesetter into the stretch and turned for home in tandem with longshot Straight No Chaser (Speightster), who briefly looked a threat. But Taiba put that foe away with a furlong to run and drew away, completing the seven furlongs in 1:21.75 and becoming the only North American 3-year-old with three top-level victories in 2022. Forbidden Kingdom re-rallied for second and Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) was third.
“That horse is like a bike and you have to pedal,” said winning rider Mike Smith. “Going long, you don't have to do it as much, but I knew that going short it would be tough. Last time he didn't break very well in the Breeders' Cup; he stumbled. I thought, 'If I break through it, I can get in front of the two next to me outside and at least gain third. Right?' Well, I didn't see the outside horse, and I decided not to take a chance and see what he was going to do. Normally, I have to get aggressive with him at that point like I did in Philadelphia, but today that horse actually helped me.”
Baffert aded, “It was a tough Malibu, but turning for home he always looks like he's empty, and he just finds new life. I don't know where he gets it from. He just has more gears and we saw an extra one today.”
Amr Zedan, who is co-owner of Country Grammer, had his second graded win of the day when Taiba strode clear in the Malibu.
Taiba, a $1.7-million purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, won the GI Santa Anita Derby in just his second start, earning a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby. He was 12th on the first Saturday in May, but had a productive second half of the season, missing by just a head when second to Cyberknife (Gun Runner) in the GI Haskell S. before winning the Sept. 24 GI Pennsylvania Derby. He was most recently third in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
“He's getting better and better,” Baffert said of the almost 4-year-old. “He looked a little heavy in the paddock but that's him. I think he is a lot like his sire, Gun Runner, getting better with age and he needs to go further, it is a little short for him. He has turned in to quite a horse.”
Pedigree Notes:
Taiba is one of six Grade I winners for his young sire, Gun Runner. He is the second foal out of his multiple stakes-winning Ohio-bred mare, Needmore Flattery, who sold to Yeguada Centurion while in foal to Uncle Mo for $195,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. Her 2-year-old filly Tita Mimosa (Ire) (Uncle Mo) has been working at Tampa Bay Downs. The mare also has a yearling colt by Waldgeist (GB), who sold for €81,000 at this year's Arqana October sale.
Monday, Santa Anita
RUNHAPPY MALIBU S.-GI, $302,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.75, ft.
1–TAIBA, 124, c, 3, by Gun Runner
           
   1st Dam: Needmore Flattery (MSW, $732,103), by Flatter
              2nd Dam: Kiosk, by Left Banker
              3rd Dam: Phone Switch, by Phone Trick
($140,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $1,700,000 2yo '21 FTFMAR).
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Bruce C Ryan (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $180,000. 'TDN Rising Star'
Lifetime Record: MGISW, 7-4-1-1, $1,956,200.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Forbidden Kingdom, 122, c, 3, American Pharoah–Just
Louise, by Five Star Day. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($300,000 Ylg
'20 FTKSEL). O-MyRacehorse & Spendthrift Farm LLC;
B-Springhouse Farm (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $60,000.
3–Hoist the Gold, 120, c, 3, Mineshaft–Tacit Approval, by
Tapit. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($47,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Dream Team One Racing
Stable; B-Dream Team Racing (KY); T-Dallas Stewart.
$36,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.40, 6.90, 29.30.
Also Ran: Nakatomi, Strava, Apprehend, Straight No Chaser, Messier, Perfect Flight.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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