Citizen Bull captured the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes introduced by DK Horse in front-running vogue to steer a 1-2 end for coach Bob Baffert within the Grade 1 race for 2-year-olds Oct. 5 at Santa Anita Park.
Baffert’s last-out Grade 3 Finest Pal Stakes winner, Getaway Automobile, completed second.
When the gates opened within the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah, jockey Martin Garcia was prepared aboard Citizen Bull. Citizen Bull took the lead in a primary quarter-mile in :23.85 with Getaway Automobile by no means far behind. Getaway Automobile saved the strain on till the three-eighths pole, when Citizen Bull began to tug away. Citizen Bull had two lengths on his stablemate in mid-stretch and flashed underneath the wire by that very same margin, stopping the timer in 1:44.30 for the 1 1/16 miles on a quick essential observe. Getaway Automobile completed 5 3/4 lengths forward of third-place finisher McKinzie Road.
Citizen Bull was exiting a third-place end in his Grade 1 debut within the Del Mar Futurity Sept. 8 with Mike Smith using however got here out on high this time with Garcia aboard. Garcia had ridden Citizen Bull in his 5 1/2-furlong debut win at Del Mar on Aug. 17 when Garcia and Citizen Bull received by three-quarters of a size.
“At Del Mar, he actually wanted that race,” Baffert mentioned of Citizen Bull. “Mike (Smith) mentioned he bought drained. I feel he’ll get a lot out of this race.”
The American Pharoah is a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection “Win & You are In” race, and the victory provides Citizen Bull a berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile introduced by TAA. It additionally awards qualifying factors to the 2025 Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve to the highest 5 finishers as a part of the Highway to the Kentucky Derby Collection. Thus, Citizen Bull earned 10 factors, Getaway Automobile 5 factors, and McKinzie Road three factors. Fourth place Emerald Bay (additionally skilled by Baffert) earned two factors and Present of Power bought one level for ending fifth.
Non Compliant ran her document to an ideal 2-for-2 to begin her profession by capturing the Grade 2 $200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes introduced by Oak Tree on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita.
Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert had 4 of the six Oak Leaf entrants, and two of them — Tenma and Nooni — have been already graded stakes winners. Main jockey Juan Hernandez was aboard Non Compliant, who was despatched off because the even-money favourite whereas making her stakes debut.
Nooni likes setting the tempo, which she did once more within the 1 1/16-mile Oak Leaf. Tenma and Non Compliant tracked her via a lot of the race, with Nooni accountable for simple fractions of :23.42, :47.22, and 1:11.65.
The Baffert trio tightened issues up on the second flip, and heading into the stretch it turned a battle between Nooni on the rail and Non Compliant to her exterior. They fought for a number of strides till Non Grievance started inching away, finally coming to the wire 2 1/4 lengths in entrance forward of Nooni whereas stopping the timer in 1:45.08. Tenma completed third, 8 1/4 lengths behind Nooni.
The Oak Leaf started with that title in 1969 as a part of the Oak Tree Racing Affiliation assembly at Santa Anita. In 2012, Santa Anita, which now runs the autumn assembly, modified the title to the Chandelier Stakes. This yr it reverted to its earlier title, additionally listed as “introduced by Oak Tree,” the group being celebrated on the observe all through the day.
Below both title, the race gives a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection “Win and You are In” berth to the $2 million Netjets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. It additionally awards qualifying factors to the 2025 Longines Kentucky Oaks on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the highest 5 finishers as a part of the Highway to the Kentucky Oaks collection. Fourth place Within the Air Tonight and fifth-place Showers, the latter additionally skilled by Baffert, earned Oaks factors together with Non Compliant, Nooni, and Tenma.
Bob Baffert received the Oak Leaf (previously Chandelier) Stakes for a document thirteenth time, and alongside along with his win within the American Pharoah Stakes swept each the day’s two 2-year-old stakes races for the sixth time in his profession. — Tracy Gantz
In a bizarrely run version of the $201,000 Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes, Dangle the Moon proved greatest with a scintillating last-to-first victory Oct. 5 at Santa Anita Park.
Dangle the Moon has now thrown her hat within the ring for essentially the most prestigious showdown of all of them within the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The 4-year-old filly earned her slot within the beginning gate for the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Nov. 2 at Del Mar together with her win within the Rodeo Drive win, which is a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection “Win and You are In” race.
A 20-1 upset winner of the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes final outing for coach Phil D’Amato, Dangle the Moon was nonetheless comparatively dismissed on the tote board at 9-1 for the Rodeo Drive. Ridden again by Kazushi Kimura, Dangle the Moon trailed the sphere because the race performed out in peculiar vogue up entrance.
“We had the proper technique for Dangle the Moon,” mentioned D’Amato. “We deliberate to do the identical factor as we did final time, sit again and include the run. She got here with a monstrous run late.”
Spectacular Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks introduced by Keeneland Gross sales winner Iscreamuscream blew the primary flip of the 1 1/4-mile occasion, and ultimately misplaced her result in Fortunate Lady. The latter, often deep nearer, stole the benefit at that time and opened up three size lead on the six-furlong marker. Into the lane, nonetheless, the sphere swallowed up Fortunate Lady as Dangle the Moon on the far exterior stormed to the wire together with Aspen Grove on the rail.
Dangle the Moon crossed the end line on high of a battling Aspen Grove by 1 1/2 lengths in a closing time of 1:58.58 over a agency turf course. It was one other three-quarters of a size again to South African import Seaside Bomb in third. Favored Iscreamuscream, beforehand undefeated, completed fourth in her debut towards older fillies and mares.
Dangle the Moon ($21.80 to win) picked up her second consecutive graded stakes win and bumped her bankroll to $427,913. — Molly Rollins
