ARCADIA, Calif. (AP)—Drill degraded American Act by a nose to win the
$150,000 San Vicente Stakes and snap a five-race movement on Sunday during Santa Anita,
although tutor Bob Baffert isn’t rushing him onto a Kentucky Derby trail.
Ridden by Martin Garcia, Drill ran 7 furlongs in 1:21.28 and paid $9.60
and $5 during 7-2 odds.
American Act returned $4, while 1-2 favorite Creative Cause was another
length behind in third. Let’s Get Crackin was fourth. There was no uncover wagering
after Smoking G and Captain Obvious were scratched.
Drill trailed pacesetter American Act many of a approach until holding a small
lead with a furlong to go and hardly holding off his opposition underneath Garcia’s
urging.
Drill is nominated to a Triple Crown series, though Baffert pronounced he doesn’t
think a colt wants to run a Kentucky Derby stretch of 1 1-4 miles.
“I wouldn’t run out and buy a destiny book (bet) on him,” pronounced a Hall of
Fame trainer, who is installed with other Derby candidates. “He’d have to prove
something to me going long. He’s one-turn right now. In time he competence be means to
do it given he’s schooled to relax.”
Drill’s co-owner, Mike Pegram, agreed.
“This is a Breeders’ Cup horse,” he said. “I don’t know that Breeders’
Cup race. We’ll only let him arrange himself out.”
Drill was perplexing to spin things around after not visiting a winner’s
circle given Sept. 7, when he won a Del Mar Futurity opposite Creative Cause.
He was fifth in a San Pedro Stakes during Santa Anita on Jan. 22.
Pegram pronounced 3 of Drill’s prior waste were “throwout” races, though he
had no forgive for a ninth-place finish in a CashCall Futurity on Dec. 11.
“He came out of those races unequivocally well. He always shows so most energy,
he’s taken a lot and he’s rubbed it,” Baffert said. “But currently we could tell
he was some-more loose in a competition and he got an easy trip. That helps, too.”
Creative Cause was fourth in a early going before removing adult for third in
his initial start given finishing third in a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November.
He now has $506,000 in graded stakes earnings, all though assuring him a starting
spot in a Kentucky Derby, that uses such gain to establish a full
20-horse field.
“We got what we wanted out of a race. He’s a track horse, not a
seven-furlong horse,” tutor Mike Harrington said. “We wish he moves forward
off this. Did we see him trot out? He’ll really pierce forward.”
Harrington has another Kentucky Derby claimant in Empire Maker, who
finished second in a Robert Lewis Stakes progressing this month during Santa Anita.
The trainer, like Baffert, is delicately sophistry his colts’ schedules so they
don’t run opposite any other. Harrington pronounced his subsequent aim will be the
$300,000 San Felipe Stakes during Santa Anita on Mar 10 for one of them.
“I don’t know that one,” he said.
Whichever of Harrington’s horses doesn’t run in a San Felipe is possible
for a $500,000 Rebel Stakes during Oaklawn Park on Mar 17.
Baffert is deliberation a San Felipe for Fed Biz or Liaison, dual some-more of
his tip Kentucky Derby candidates. Another hopeful, BC Juvenile Sprint winner
Secret Circle, is during Oaklawn available a start in Monday’s $250,000 Southwest
Stakes.