Honor A. P. wins Santa Anita Derby; Fantastic wins Gold Cup

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Honor A. P. obtained the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby by 2 3/4 lengths Saturday to switch into the Kentucky Derby portray.

Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Honor A. P. ran 1 1/8 miles in 1: 48.97 and paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. It was once Smith’s third straight shield and fourth general in the West Fly’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby. The Grade 1 toddle was once speed with out spectators or media at Santa Anita thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I omit the followers, but I correct bought to pump myself up,” Smith stated.

Reliable returned $2.20 and $2.10 as the heavy 1-2 accepted for coach Bob Baffert, whereas Rushie was once another 1 1/4 lengths abet in third and paid $3.40 to reveal.

Skilled by John Shirreffs, who oversaw celeb Zenyatta, Honor A.P. was once bought for $850,000 as a yearling. He’s a ridgling, a male horse in which one or every testicles attain not fall.

“We knew that he has tactical tempo and Mike can set aside him gorgeous powerful where he wants,” Shirreffs stated. ”On the backside, we hoped he would bag overjoyed and to be pleased a nice kick in the conclude, and all of it labored out smartly.”

Honor A. P. earned 100 qualifying aspects for the Kentucky Derby, which has been rescheduled to Sept. 5 thanks to COVID-19. That moved him into second with 120, two aspects in the abet of chief Tiz the Law, on the Derby leaderboard which determines the 20-horse field for the toddle.

“It’s as much as him whether we speed him all over again sooner than the massive dance,” Shirreffs stated. “We have to scrutinize how the horse comes out and the strategy in which he feels, but you’d continuously desire to speed. Running is maybe the supreme choice moderately than coaching as much as it, but we’ll wait and peer the strategy in which all of it happens.”

The victory, worth $240,000, increased Honor A. P.’s profession earnings to $362,200.

Reliable earned 40 aspects and is now fourth on the Derby leaderboard. Rushie earned 20 aspects. Anneau d’Or done fourth and earned 10 aspects.

Unbeaten in three outdated begins, Reliable broke outwards leaving the gate but was once not as much as a size off the lead from his out of doorways put up plot heading into the first turn. From there, he pressed the tempo whereas three-deep, was once in a smartly suited plot whereas second on the tip of the lane, but couldn’t desire Honor A. P.

Within the $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, 6-5 accepted Fantastic obtained by 3 1/4 lengths over Larger Energy.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke and trained by Baffert, Fantastic ran 1 1/4 miles in 2: 01.69 and paid $4.60, $3 and $2.40.

Larger Energy returned $4 and $3. Tenfold was once another 4 1/2 lengths abet in third and paid $4 to reveal.

“I purchased the consolation prize,” joked Baffert, who obtained his fourth Gold Cup after losing the Santa Anita Derby earlier. “This horse has been coaching so smartly. Drayden had him in the ideal spot and he had heaps left for the speed dwelling. This horse is easiest going to bag better.”

Fantastic earned $180,000, rising his profession winnings to $1,129,520.

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