        |
|
 |
Santa Anita, Derby Dubai World Cup Wood Memorial Day Dubai World Cup Works Dubai World Cup entries |
|
|
 Umberto Rispoli celebrates aboard Journalism after winning the Santa Anita Derby Part 2 - Monrovia (G3) and Echo Eddie Stakes |
Date: 4/05/2025
The major California prep race for the Triple Crown is the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita main track just 4 weeks before the Run for the Roses, normally worth 100 points to the winner as part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series but due to the short field of 5, was reduced to 75% of their original point values (a 6-horse field would score full points). Conditions were excellent for the 34,312 fans in attendance at the historic Arcadia oval, with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80's. Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) and San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Journalism was sent off as the even money choice. In to challenge him included 2-1 second choice Citizen Bull, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Robert B. Lewis (G3), and 5-2 third choice Barnes, 2nd in the San Felipe after winning the San Vicente (G2).
 Journalism leads in the stretch |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Journalism Rispoli 4.00 2.80 2.10 5 Baeza Berrios 6.20 3.60 3 Westwood Pereira 5.20 Winning Time: 1:49.56 $1 Exacta 1-5 12.20 $1 Trifecta 1-5-3 106.90 |
Left: Journalism in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "It's pretty exciting. It's a huge day on the Santa Anita calendar, a huge day on any calendar or any kind of Derby before the Kentucky Derby, so to go ahead and be a part of this and be lucky enough to win. It is special. He had me worried for a jump or two. Special horse. I saw a little bit of adversity today which you saw around the far turn. It took him a little bit to get his feet under him but once Umberto was able to wheel him outside, he started getting him through his gears. He started to pick it up towards the end, leveled off nicely and he looked like he finished up well and galloped out well."
Right: Journalism in the post parade. Winning jockey Umberto Rispoli said, "That's such a good animal to be able to get out of there. It's rare for a horse to get held up at the 3/8 pole and to get back in the race in that way. It's always difficult, especially for such a big horse. But he has such an amazing style and is just an amazing horse. I was trapped on the fence, and I thought, 'Wow, this isn't looking good.' I knew my only way out was to push Barnes a little bit, I got through. This is just a great animal. Not many horses that big could make it out of there especially on a track like Santa Anita's. I have to give credit to Michael (McCarthy) and all the guys in the barn. It's an amazing time for everybody."
Left: Second place finisher Baeza in the paddock. Jockey Hector Berrios said, "He is a baby still and loses focus. When we got to the stretch, he started lugging and lugging. I thought, 'Come on now.' Then when he felt (Journalism), he came back." Trainer John Shirreffs added, "He ran super."
Right: Third place finisher Westwood in the walking ring. The John Shirreffs trainee improved his record to 0 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 4 starts, earning $80,700 for owner C R K Stable.
The $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks (G2) featured six 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles with the winner earning 100 points as part of the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series. After 1 scratch just 5 went to post with Tenma sent off as the 3-10 favorite off wins in the Starlet (G2) and Las Virgenes (G3). In to challenge her included 11-2 second choice Vodka With a Twist, 2nd in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) but 3rd in the Starlet, and 7-1 third choice Madame Secretary off her maiden win at 3rd asking.
15-1 No Bad Beats was quickest away through an opening quarter of 22.85 before 19-2 fourth choice Silent Law took over through a half in 46.38 and 3/4 in 1:11.03 whle pressed by Vodka With a Twist and stalked by No Bad Beats. Turning for home Tenma, 4th early, swept to the lead 3 wide through 1 mile in 1:38.96. Kept to task by Juan Hernandez, Tenma drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Silent Law in 1:46.15. It was a long 6 lengths back to Vodka With a Twist third.
Left: Tenma in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "We are trying to get her to the Kentucky Oaks and she had been progressing, getting better and better. I liked the way she settled today. There was a lot of speed in the race. She is becoming more professional as we go. She has come a long way and she is great to be around. She is a lovely filly. It's pretty exciting to run one-two in a stake like this. She just didn't run in the Oak Leaf. It was a dud. She struggled that day, just not mentally ready. I backed off of her after that, freshened her, and she's been ready to go."
Right: Tenma returns after the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "I was having a beautiful trip, and I asked her to run at the three eighths pole because she was getting a little lazy on me. But that's the way she is, she takes a couple strides to get going. Around the turn, when I was ready to start making my move and pass Silent Law, she was really brave."
Left: Second place finisher Silent Law in the paddock before the race. Trainer Bob Baffert said, "I wanted to stretch her out and it was the only opportunity I'd get. We were experimenting to see how she handled it, and she handled it really well. It is nice when it all works out."
Right: Third place finisher Vodka With a Twist in the paddock. Trainer Phil D'Amato said, "She ran okay. She broke a little slow, loomed up nice, but she got a little bit more tired than I would have liked to have seen."
The $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes featuring a field of 7 California bred or sired 3-year-old fillies (after 2 scratches) sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Maiden winner at 8th asking last out Om N Joy was sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 5-2 second choice In the Air Tonight, 10th in the California Cup Oaks, and 3-1 third choice Hot Girl Walk off an 6th place finish in allowance company.
Jockey Kazushi Kimura sent 8-1 fifth choice Knightwithlouis to the lead exiting the chute through fractions of 22.43 and 45.52 while pressed by 7-1 fourth choice Going Deep and stalked by Hot Girl Walk. Into the lane Knightwithlouis tired allowing Hot Girl Walk to inherit the lead through 3/4 in 1:11.47 before also tiring. Favorite Om N Joy, 6th early under Kent Desormeaux, split horses at the 1/8 pole to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths over late-running 12-1 Sunset Grazen in 1:17.85. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Hot Girl Walk third.
Om N Joy in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Kent Desormeaux said, "They were all coming back to her down the stretch. I picked a pocket for her to jump through, she took off like she was going to plow through it if she had to. She was very brave. She's huge too. She's got to be one of the tallest horses on the backside, but she's agile with her long legs. She's pretty athletic for a giraffe. We were always high on her at Del Mar. She just needed some time to develop." Winning owner-breeder Jerry Baker added, "We had a lot of faith in this horse all along, we knew that she was going to come around and she is coming around in a big way. Thank you to our trainer Aggie (Ordonez, celebrating first stakes win). She is marvelous and the best to work with. We are very excited and very happy and it is just the beginning of big things to come."
On to Part 2 - Monrovia (G3) and Echo Eddie Stakes
Back to Horse-Races.Net main page
| Search Horse-Races.Net: |
