No surprise here: It was another big day for Bob Baffert at Santa Anita.
The Hall of Fame trainer pulled off a 1-2 finish in the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) with Citizen Bull and Getaway Car and a sweep of the $200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) with Non Compliant, Nooni, and Temna.
Citizen Bull. Benoit Photo.
With that, Baffert’s winners earned fees-paid automatic berths in the Breeders’ Cup corresponding races, the BC Juvenile (G1) for Citizen Bull and the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1) for Non Compliant.
Citizen Bull ($8.60) was ridden by Martin Garcia and led gate-to-wire for a two-length victory over 8-5 favorite and stablemate Getaway Car.
Winning time for the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah, named for Baffert’s 2015 Triple Crown champion, was 1:44.30 over a fast track.
Citizen Bull, an Into Mischief colt who ran third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) behind stablemate Gaming and McKinzie Street (third in the American Pharoah), broke well from post 3 and maintained a length or two lead over Getaway Car throughout for his second win in three starts.
“I feel fortunate and blessed to have the clientele that I have,” Baffert said. “Without that you can’t win these things. This is why we buy these colts, to try to win on these big days. I’m happy we have one, maybe a couple. It was great to see that.”
Citizen Bull was purchased for $675,000 as a yearling and is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, and Tom Ryan.
The American Pharoah also is a 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying race, with points of 10-5-3-2-1 awarded to the first five finishers.
Rodeo Drive Stakes: D’Amato
Hang the Moon ($21.80) zoomed from last to first for a 1 ½-length victory in the 1 ¼-mile Oak Leaf to earn an all-fees paid automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
The 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly came into the race off a victory in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) on Sept. 7 at Del Mar and improve to 12-5-1-1. Hang the Moon was one of four entries by trainer Phil D’Amato in the field of seven.
His other runners were 3-2 favorite Iscreamuscream (fourth) and Lucky Girl (seventh).
“We had the right strategy for Hang the Moon,” D’Amato said. “We planned to do the same thing as we did last time, sit back and come with the run. She came with a monstrous run late.”
Winning time was 1:58.58 over a firm turf course.
Oak Leaf Stakes: Baffert Sweep
Trainer Bob Baffert’s even-money favorite Non Compliant ($4) overtook stablemate Nooni in the stretch for a 2 ¼-length victory.
A winner in his career debut on Aug. 31 at Del Mar Sept. 2, Non Compliant is off to the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Baffert’s Tenma was a distant third in the six-horse. Baffert’s fourth runner, Showers, ran fifth.
It was the 13th win in the Oak Leaf for Baffert.
Winning time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:45.08.
“She was really happy and a little aggressive, but this was her first time going the mile. So, of course, she’s going to break a little sharp,” winning jockey Juan Hernandez said. “She relaxed around the turn. I was always really comfortable. Around the (second) turn, I was trying to pick it up, and she did that very well. She didn’t want to stop.”