Post-Race Review
Pioneerof the Nile lived up to the expectations of the crowd which made him a clear cut favorite and won the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) by a length. The scratch of The Pamplemousse caused a great shuffling in the race, both Cape Truth and Z Day came out as well, and Alex Solis, who was originally scheduled to ride The Pamplemousse, ended up on Take the Points.
None of that mattered in the end, as Garrett Gomez guided Pioneerof the Nile skillfully around the track, forcing a slow pace to quicken and then holding off second choice Chocolate Candy in the stretch. Mr. Hot Stuff, a full brother to last year’s winner Colonel John, rallied for third ahead of Take the Points.
Bob Baffert won his fifth Santa Anita Derby with Pioneerof the Nile, who is owned by Zayat Stables. The exacta paid $4.60 and the trifecta returned $17.70.
Pre-Race Analysis
The premier event at Santa Anita’s winter meet is the $750,000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby, a contest for Kentucky Derby hopefuls over a mile and an eighth. Despite early predictions of a small field, ten colts were entered, and all eyes are on the showdown between Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse.
Pioneerof the Nile, with a rating of 99.43, has won four of seven lifetime starts, including three in a row. After taking the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) by a nose over one of the current Kentucky Derby favorites in I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and the San Felipe this year, both grade II races. The Empire Maker colt is trained by four-time Santa Anita Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert. Garrett Gomez will ride.
The Pamplemousse, trained by Julio Canani, has a pedigree littered with distance limitations, but took the 1 1/8 mile Sham Stakes (gr. III) on February 28 by six lengths. The gray son of Kafwain was supposed to work an “easy” three eighths on March 31, and instead went a bullet :34.4. With three wins in five starts, The Pamplemousse has earned $209.280. Alex Solis will ride.
Chocolate Candy is rated at 100.00 and is coming off two straight wins. If not for a wide trip in Pioneerof the Nile’s CashCall Futurity, where Chocolate Candy finished third, the Candy Ride (Arg) colt would have won five in a row. Sent to Northern California for the early part of 2009, Chocolate Candy won the California Derby and the El Camino Real Derby. Joel Rosario picks up the mount for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and was aboard when Chocolate Candy broke his maiden in October.
A victory by Mr. Hot Stuff would be quite a story, as the Tiznow colt is a full brother to last year’s Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John. Eoin Harty trains, and Mr. Hot Stuff finished third in the Sham Stakes after taking a one-mile maiden race on February 1st. Second in the Sham Stakes was Take the Points, who breaks from post seven. The Todd Pletcher-trainee won a maiden race at Belmont Park in September, then took a Gulfstream Park allowance prior to the Sham. Take the Points is 10 – 1 morning line.
State-bred Feisty Suances finished second in the San Felipe Stakes, and was fourth in the California Derby, but won the first three starts of his career. Z Day from the Mike Mitchell barn has been entered as a rabbit for Pioneerof the Nile, to make sure that The Pamplemousse doesn’t get away to an easy lead.
Gallant Son, Cape Truth, and Unbridled Roman complete the field. The Santa Anita Derby will run as the sixth race.
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Emily Shields is a regular contributor to Case the Race. She has written for California Thoroughbred, Churchill Downs media, and international racing magazines.
