(with files from Santa Anita media)
The brilliant 3-year-old CHARLATAN (Speightstown – Authenticity, by Quiet American), co-owned by Toronto’s John Fielding, blew away his rivals in Santa Anita’s marquee opening day event on Saturday, the Grade I $300,000 RUNHAPPY Malibu Stakes. The colt drew off to a tremendous 4 ½ length victory in 1:21.50 for 7 furlongs and could head to the Saudi Cup in February. That could project him into a Horse of the Year conversation in the New Year.
Charlatan was second choice to the undefeated Nashville, the talk of the racing world on Breeders’ Cup Classic Day, Nov. 7 at Keeneland, as he sped to a track record time of 1:07.80 in an ungraded six furlong stakes and coming into the Malibu, having won his three starts by a combined 24 ¾ lengths. Today, facing pressure throughout from Charlatan, he tired through the stretch to finish fourth, beaten 8 ¼ lengths at 6-5.
The second choice at 8-5, Charlatan paid $5.20, $3.60 and $2.60.
“First of all, my hat’s off to Bob and his whole crew to get this horse ready off an eight-month layoff,” said jockey Mike Smith, who along with Baffert, collected his fourth career Malibu win. “To run against these types of horses was a feat itself, but I always thought he was a special horse…When Bob told me I got the call, man I’ve been kind of on cloud nine ever since.”
Owned by Fielding, who has raced a top stable of Standardbreds and is a breeder and owner of Thoroughbreds, SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Frederick Hertich III and Golconda Stables, Charlatan entered the Malibu unbeaten on the racetrack in three starts; however, his most recent victory in a division of the Arkansas Derby was taken away due to a medication violation, so his record coming in was officially two wins from three starts.
Based at Santa Anita, Charlatan is now three for four officially and with the winner’s share of $180,000, he has earnings of $247,200.
“They were rolling early, there was a really good horse he was chasing,” said Baffert. “With what this horse has been through, I’m just happy for the whole team and everybody involved, to show he is a really special horse. Hopefully, we will have a good (New) year with him.”
Baffert then took a moment to reflect on 2020.
“This has been one of the better years I’ve ever had, really,” he said. “I actually won 17 (Grade I stakes) and the one in Oaklawn, I can’t count that one yet. It was a roller coaster. We are so grateful the races opened up and we got to run these great horses…I have a great team behind me and great ownerships with wonderful people. They stuck by me with all the negative stuff, you need that support.
“Our job is to get results and that’s what it’s all about…For Santa Anita, it’s a shame that there wasn’t 30 to 40,000 people in the stands today…but it’s one of those things you know, we are here.”
With an 11 race-card that included six stakes, all run in idyllic weather conditions, Santa Anita Park set an all-time opening day record pari-mutuel handle of $23,003,159 on Saturday, eclipsing the previous opening day benchmark of $20,491,016, which was established over 11 races run on Dec. 26, 2018.
Aside from essential licensed personnel, which includes owners, Santa Anita remains closed to the public and thus almost all of its total handle today was wagered via several ADW platforms and a smattering of brick and mortar satellite locations that have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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