Bob Baffert's Banner Day of Big Wins; Dettori Wins Big 'Cap

With the legendary Frankie Dettori calling upon all of his considerable strength and determination, Starlight Racing and partners’ NEWGATE was able to rally off the turn for home and post a hard-fought head victory over vastly improved Argentina-bred Subsanador in the 87th running of the Grade I, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Sunday. A four-year-old colt by Into Mischief, Newgate, who was trying a mile and one quarter for the first time, got the distance in 2:03.49 and thus provided trainer Bob Baffert with his sixth lifetime win in the Big ‘Cap and his third consecutive graded tally on the day.

With Subsanador, off at 22-1, making a clear lead early, Newgate was attentive to the pace in fifth position, about three off the leader while between horses into and around the Club House turn.

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Fifth by a similar margin around the far turn, Dettori shifted to the four-path approaching the quarter pole and in a gutty effort, was able to gradually collar stablemate Reincarnate and gradually wear down Subsanador, who showed tremendous heart in defeat.

Second to today’s favorite Newgrange in the Grade II San Pasqual Stakes at a mile and one eighth on Jan. 27, Newgate was the second choice today at 3-1 and paid $8.40, $4.20 and $3.20.

“When I was a kid here in the late 80s, there were 60,000 people here to see Ferdinand and Alysheba and you just couldn’t move. I was in awe. I rode in the Big ‘Cap the first time last year and it was a dream. And to win it, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It is a big feather in my cap, they don’t get bigger than The Santa Anita Big ‘Cap. I followed Victor (Newgrange) and I sat pretty low until the quarter pole. I took my horse to the outside, I had a bit of weight pull with some of the horses. I thought I would get to the line okay and in fairness Subsanador gave me a good fight. The last twenty yards we got out in front, and I couldn’t believe it. I could not believe that I had done it.”

Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, et al, Newgate got his first career Grade I victory and his second graded win while improving his overall mark to 9-3-4-0.

With the Big ‘Cap winner’s share of $240,000, he increased his earnings to $535,775.

Imagination Wins The Bob

Although his top three-year-old didn’t run, Bob Baffert was still well in front of the competition as his trainee Imagination, in a stirring stretch duel, outran stablemate Wine Me Up in Sunday’s Grade II, $300,000 DK Horse San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, prevailing by a head while getting a mile and one sixteenth in 1:44.55. Ridden for the first time by Frankie Dettori, Imagination gave Baffert his record ninth win in the San Felipe, a traditional prep for the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

The race was certainly not without drama, as Scatify, ridden by Hector Berrios, broke from the rail and was in very tight quarters in behind Wine Me Up in the run to the first turn, with Berrios on the brakes as he nearly the clipped heels of both Wine Me Up and Imagination to his outside.

Untroubled, Wine Me Up held a narrow advantage turning up the backside but was immediately engaged by Imagination and the two raced as a team from the three eighths pole to the wire, with neither giving an inch in a thriller.

Off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of four, Imagination, in his first stakes engagement, paid $3.80 and $2.40 with no show wagering.

A $1,050,000 Keeneland September Yearling owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Dianne Bashor, et al, Imagination, a one mile maiden winner here two starts back on Jan. 1, was most recently a close second in a one mile allowance on Feb. 11.

With the winner’s share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $256,800.