Rock Your World wins Santa Anita Derby in dirt track debut
April 4, 2021 3:04 AM — Posted by signsanaheim — Posted at business signage ,irvine sign company-
Umberto Rispoli celebrates on the back of Rock Your World after winning the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Medina Sprint (7), ridden by John Velazquez, approaches the track for the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Horses and riders launch for starting gate for the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Horses and riders compete in the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Social distancing was required across Santa Anita Park as it opened its gates to fans for the first time since the cornavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Horses and riders round the final corner of the Providence Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Flavien celebrates on the back of Soothsay after winning the Santa Anita oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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The winners circle after Soothsay won the Santa Anita Oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Flavien celebrates on the back of Soothsay after winning the Santa Anita oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Soothsay, ridden by Flavien Prat, right, stays ahead of Beautiful Gift, ridden by John Velazquez, as they approach the finish line during the Santa Anita Oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Social distancing was required across Santa Anita Park as it opened its gates to fans for the first time since the cornavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Anita Park opens its gates to fans for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Soothsay (3) leads the way as riders and horses approach the track for the Santa Anita Oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Soothsay, ridden by Flavien Prat, right, stays ahead of Beautiful Gift, ridden by John Velazquez, as they approach the finish line during the Santa Anita Oaks race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
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Closing Remarks, left, Going Global and Sensible Cat race down final stretch during the Providence Stakes race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
ARCADIA — Rock Your World sure is aptly named.
The Candy Ride colt not only rocked the house Saturday at Santa Anita, traveling gate to wire to win the $750,000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby by 4 1/4 lengths, but he rocked the lives of trainer John Sadler and his owners as well.
The colt’s co-owners, Hronis Racing and Talla Racing, will be making their first trip to the Kentucky Derby, and winning trainer John Sadler will be making his fifth, by virtue of a scintillating victory that was never in doubt when the field hit the top of the stretch.
The winner also rocked jockey Umberto Rispoli’s world, giving the 22-year-old Italian native the first Grade I victory of a U.S.-based career that began in the Southland in late 2019.
Sent postward as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering behind favored Medina Spirit (4-5) and Dream Shake (9-2), Rock Your World showed he’s not just a turf specialist. The first two wins of his young career came over the Santa Anita turf course.
“Our partner, Michael Talla, asked me before the race when they were putting the saddle on, ‘Well, what do you think?’ Kosta Hronis said. “I told him, ‘I think he wins clear by five lengths.’ And he said, ‘Oh, I love you.’
“I felt really good. I was here last Sunday for his workout and he looked really good. The workout before, it seemed as though it didn’t go as planned, but I felt really confident. To beat a horse like Medina Spirit, I knew we’d be somewhere in the vicinity, but I didn’t know if we could win the way he won.”
Rock Your World led by 2 1/2 lengths at the head of the stretch after carving out fractions of 22.42, 46.11 and 1:10.64 and just kept going. Medina Spirit tried to catch him in the stretch, but he was long gone on his way to a clocking of 1:49.17 for the mile and an eighth.
Medina Spirit held second by 2 1/4 lengths over Dream Shake, who was 4 3/4 lengths in front of fourth-place finisher Defunded.
“I didn’t think they were going to catch him,” Hronis said. “That was a good feeling. I kind of put my head down, and John was screaming, my wife was screaming, my brother was screaming, and I put my head down on the table and just was watching, staying quiet like.
“I’m really happy for John. John won this with Sidney’s Candy (2010), and to get John back to the Kentucky Derby is kind of important. It’s important for me, it’s important to the Hronis family because he’s worked so hard for us. We’re just honored to be part of the team there.”
Horses can look like world beaters on dirt or turf, but many can’t transfer their form from one surface to the other.
Rock Your World had looked ultra impressive in his first two starts on the grass, winning his debut by 1 3/4 lengths at 6 furlongs on Jan. 1 and then coming back to take the Pasadena Stakes at a mile by 2 1/4 lengths on Feb. 27.
Could he shift from turf to dirt and beat some of the best 3-year-olds on the grounds over the main track?
“I’ve had so much practice with Candy Rides,” Sadler said. “What’s great about him as a stallion is that he’s sired horses that can run on all three surfaces — synthetic, dirt and turf. So I knew this horse was natural for a distance. We wanted to give him a try on the dirt, and it worked out.”
Sadler, a Long Beach native, grew up attending the races at Santa Anita. Winning races like the Santa Anita Handicap and Santa Anita Derby are even more special for him.
“For me, it’s everything,” he said. “This is why I am training, to compete in these big races. It was really fun to get this one today. We’re right there for these kind of races.”For Hronis, it will be his first Kentucky Derby.
“We’ve always dreamt about being in a Triple Crown race,” he said. “I think the older horses don’t get the credit, they don’t get the recognition, because the Triple Crown is a big deal to the public. We’re just so honored to go to the Kentucky Derby and be part of that.”
It will be Sadler’s fifth trip to Churchill Downs for the Derby. His best finish was sixth with Corby in 1993 and he hasn’t been back since 2014.
Sadler’s plan to start Rock Your World on the turf, much like trainer Richard Mandella did with Omaha Beach, paid dividends. Now he figures to be one of the favorites on Derby day.”I look smart for about an hour,” he joked.
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