Medina Spirit impresses again at Santa Anita

ARCADIA — Medina Spirit, arguable victor of a Kentucky Derby we’ve yet to perceive the past of, scored possibly the astir awesome triumph of his nine-race vocation Saturday by blowing distant 7 rivals successful the $300,000 Grade I Awesome Again Stakes astatine Santa Anita.

The 3-year-old lad of Protonico went gross to ligament nether John Velazquez, beating 54-1 longshot Stilleto Boy by 5 lengths arsenic the 6-5 favourite portion earning an all-expenses paid travel to the Breeders’ Cup Classic connected Nov. 6 astatine Del Mar.

It was Medina Spirit’s archetypal effort against older horses and helium aced the trial similar a mathematics wizard.

“That was a beauteous awesome performance. He handled it … helium didn’t instrumentality a heavy breath. The farther the amended for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

The Hall of Famer said helium had nary concerns facing older horses for the archetypal time.

“This is the clip of twelvemonth wherever the 3-year-olds drawback up with the older horses,” Baffert said. “I wasn’t truly disquieted astir moving against older horses, and these (3-year-olds) are pugnacious horses — Hot Rod (Charlie), Essential Quality, bully horses.”

When Medina Spirit is allowed to carve retired fractions of 23.34, 47.72 and 1:11.76, he’s going to beryllium a pugnacious equine to beat. He won for the 5th clip successful 9 races and has ne'er been worse than third.

“He’s conscionable getting amended and better. I tin spot it,” Baffert said. “He’s getting stronger. He’s a truly bully horse, and what helium did contiguous against these horses is beauteous amazing.”

Baffert thought a bully galore of the fans who showed up Saturday were determination to basal for the winner.

“There were a batch of radical watching him get saddled,” helium said. “You could archer by the crowd, the noise, that they were each pulling for him. It’s a precise affectional triumph for each of america involved. I’m conscionable blessed that helium showed up.”

Rodeo Drive Stakes

Going to Vegas, the even-money favorite, had capable near to clasp disconnected Luck by a caput and triumph the $300,000 Grade I turf contention for fillies and mares that earned the victor a spot successful the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf connected Nov. 6 astatine Del Mar.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli and trained by Richard Baltas, the 4-year-old Goldencents filly went gross to wire, carving retired fractions of 24.35, 48.72 and 1:13.49 en way to a last clip of 1:58.84 for the mile and a quarter.

The triumph was the 3rd consecutive for Going to Vegas and 4th successful her past 5 starts. She’s won 4 of six this twelvemonth and earned her archetypal Grade I triumph successful her 3rd try.

John Henry Turf Championship

United closed powerfully successful the agelong to triumph a three-horse photograph decorativeness implicit Acclimate and Friar’s Road, giving jockey Flavien Prat his 3rd stakes triumph and 4th triumph wide connected the 11-race card.

The 6-year-old gelded lad of Giant’s Causeway, trained by Richard Mandella, closed successful connected the $2 cardinal people successful net with his 10th triumph successful 22 starts. The $180,000 winner’s stock padded his vocation bankroll to $1,873,545.

United, ninth wide successful the 12-horse lineup aboriginal on, bushed pace-setting Acclimate by a nose. It was different chemoreceptor farther backmost to Friar’s Road, stake from 15-1 connected the greeting enactment down to 4-1.

Final clip for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:58.41.

Santa Anita Sprint Championship

Dr. Schivel earned an all-expenses paid travel to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, going gross to ligament for a 3 1/4-length triumph successful the $200,000 Grade II race. It was his 5th consecutive triumph and 4th with Prat successful the saddle.

The 3-year-old Violence colt is 3-0 successful 2021, going into Saturday’s contention disconnected a triumph successful the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes connected July 31 astatine Del Mar. Dr. Schivel, who went postward arsenic the 9-5 favorite, is undefeated since being transferred to trainer Mark Glatt’s barn aft his triumph successful the 2020 Del Mar Futurity.

Flagstaff, the 7-2 3rd choice, finished second, a chemoreceptor successful beforehand of C Z Rocket, the 2-1 2nd choice. Final clip for the 6 furlongs was 1:09.44.

City of Hope Mile

Trainer Peter Miller believes Mo Forza is the champion turf miler successful the country, and the 5-year-old lad of Uncle Mo did thing to dispel that conception successful the $200,000 Grade II lawsuit for 3-year-olds and upward.

Fifth and past aft the archetypal half-mile, the 3-5 favourite unleashed a almighty closing footwear successful the last eighth of a mile to borderline Smooth Like Strait by a half-length portion moving the 1 mile successful 1:32.45.

Ridden by Prat, Mo Forza won his 4th consecutive contention and has won 8 of his past 9 starts. He gained millionaire presumption Saturday, raising his vocation net to $1,034,460.