One day after Santa Anita took wagers totalling $24,282,400, its largest Derby Day handle since 2007, the speedster filly Gamine returned to the races for the first time in five months in what amounted to a paid workout against three overmatched opponents.
The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, who according to Bob Baffert is one of the best fillies he’s ever trained, rolled to a five-length victory in the $100,000 Grade III Las Flores Stakes on Sunday, a margin that maybe could have been twice as much if jockey John Velazquez had persevered.
But he didn’t have to.
Sent postward as the 1-20 favorite, the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner toyed with the others in the short field. When you’re as talented as Gamine, other owners and trainers don’t want to run against you.
Velazquez was impressed.
“She came back so good,” said Velazquez, who was aboard for Gamine’s 6 1/4-length victory at last fall’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. “She felt as good as last year. Bob thinks she’s not ready yet, that’s what he told me.
“She does everything so effortlessly, it’s just everything she does makes my job a lot easier. I just steer where I want to go and that’s it. That’s the biggest point of her strength, I believe.”
Baffert said his main concern Sunday was bad luck. Since Gamine was breaking from the No. 1 hole, he made sure to remind Velazquez about the pitfalls.
“Make sure you don’t let her make the gap (as the horses come out of the 7-furlong chute onto the main track),” Baffert said. “Ride her like she’s 10-1. I’m happy for my owners and everybody involved. They are excited. It’s Easter Sunday, so it’s a big win.”
Gamine, who’s crossed the finish line first in six of her seven races but was disqualified from a victory at Oaklawn Park because of a medication violation, hiked her career bankroll to $943,000 with the winner’s share Sunday of $60,000.
That’s not a large amount for a filly who’s won three Grade I stakes, including last summer’s Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park by 18 3/4 lengths, but the Las Flores was a starting point for what her connections hope is a huge 2021.
“Hopefully, we’ll stretch her out,” Baffert said.
Game broke alertly, setting fractions of 22.74 and 45.77 en route to a final clocking of 1:09.52 for the 6 furlongs. It could have been much faster if Velazquez had wanted to push a filly who’s run three 100-plus Beyer Speed Figures in her career.
Baffert’s second entry in the race, Qahira, finished second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of Biddy Duke. Hang a Star rounded out the small field.
“She looked fantastic, they both (Qahira) looked fantastic in the paddock,” Baffert said. “(Owner) Michael (Petersen) has been a great supporter of mine. I told him I was going to give her a little race, but the purse isn’t very big. But he was excited. He said, ‘I want to see her run.’ When you own one like that, it’s fun to see them run.”
Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby drew 8,246 as the track was able to host fans on a limited basis for the first time in more than a year this past weekend.
The Derby winner, Rock Your World, was doing well Sunday morning less than 24 hours after his impressive 4 1/4-length victory.
Trainer John Sadler said the Candy Ride colt will train at Santa Anita until the week of the Kentucky Derby, when he’ll be shipped to Louisville.
Santa Anita will be dark the next two Fridays as the track undergoes maintenance on its turf course.
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