Today’s Results
The surprising: What happened to the Unbeatable Eastern Invader in the Santa Anita Handicap? Saint Liam hung back until the stretch turn and then did … nothing. He certainly didn’t run like the colt that nearly beat freakishly-fast Horse of the Year Ghostzapper in the Woodward. Rock Hard Ten, though, performed brilliantly yet again with Gary Stevens aboard, moving from the middle of the pack to cruise past the competition in the stretch. Is there a better match of rider and horse in the country right now?
The expected: Longshots Papi Chullo and Defer both needed to win the Fountain of Youth to be taken seriously as Derby contenders. Neither came anywhere close. The race belonged to High Fly and Bandini, just as the Swale did to Lost in the Fog and the Mountain Valley to Afleet Alex.
More on Saturday’s races: “The sky’s the limit,” for Rock Hard Ten, says Gary Stevens (LA Times); “Yesterday’s victory capped an impressive 2½ months for the son of Kris S. [Rock Hard Ten] won the Grade I Malibu Stakes in late December, the Grade II Strub Stakes in February and now the Grade I Big ‘Cap … until Horse of the Year Ghostzapper returns to the races, Rock Hard Ten should be considered the nation’s best horse.” (Union-Tribune)
Lost in the Fog’s win in the Swale means one thing: Owner Harry Aleo will be putting up that Triple Crown nomination fee now. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Trainer Nick Zito had a very good day, with High Fly’s win in the Fountain of Youth (Courier-Journal) and Noble Causeway’s impressive turn in a Gulfstream allowance race. (Daily Racing Form)
Declan’s Moon remains undefeated after taking the Santa Catalina, to trainer Ron Ellis’ delight. “I think I’ve got the bomb.” (Baltimore Sun)
Afleet Alex was “super” in the Mountain Valley Stakes. (ESPN)
