Medina Spirit impresses again at Santa Anita

ARCADIA — Medina Spirit, controversial winner of a Kentucky Derby we’ve yet to hear the last of, scored perhaps the most impressive victory of his nine-race career Saturday by blowing away seven rivals in the $300,000 Grade I Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita.

The 3-year-old son of Protonico went gate to wire under John Velazquez, beating 54-1 longshot Stilleto Boy by five lengths as the 6-5 favorite while earning an all-expenses paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

It was Medina Spirit’s first try against older horses and he aced the test like a math wizard.

“That was a pretty awesome performance. He handled it … he didn’t take a deep breath. The farther the better for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

The Hall of Famer said he had no concerns facing older horses for the first time.

“This is the time of year where the 3-year-olds catch up with the older horses,” Baffert said. “I wasn’t really worried about running against older horses, and these (3-year-olds) are tough horses — Hot Rod (Charlie), Essential Quality, good horses.”

When Medina Spirit is allowed to carve out fractions of 23.34, 47.72 and 1:11.76, he’s going to be a tough horse to beat. He won for the fifth time in nine races and has never been worse than third.

“He’s just getting better and better. I can see it,” Baffert said. “He’s getting stronger. He’s a really good horse, and what he did today against these horses is pretty amazing.”

Baffert thought a good many of the fans who showed up Saturday were there to root for the winner.

“There were a lot of people watching him get saddled,” he said. “You could tell by the crowd, the noise, that they were all pulling for him. It’s a very emotional win for all of us involved. I’m just happy that he showed up.”

Rodeo Drive Stakes

Going to Vegas, the even-money favorite, had enough left to hold off Luck by a head and win the $300,000 Grade I turf race for fillies and mares that earned the winner a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli and trained by Richard Baltas, the 4-year-old Goldencents filly went gate to wire, carving out fractions of 24.35, 48.72 and 1:13.49 en route to a final time of 1:58.84 for the mile and a quarter.

The victory was the third consecutive for Going to Vegas and fourth in her past five starts. She’s won four of six this year and earned her first Grade I victory in her third try.

John Henry Turf Championship

United closed strongly in the stretch to win a three-horse photo finish over Acclimate and Friar’s Road, giving jockey Flavien Prat his third stakes victory and fourth win overall on the 11-race card.

The 6-year-old gelded son of Giant’s Causeway, trained by Richard Mandella, closed in on the $2 million mark in earnings with his 10th victory in 22 starts. The $180,000 winner’s share padded his career bankroll to $1,873,545.

United, ninth overall in the 12-horse lineup early on, beat pace-setting Acclimate by a nose. It was another nose farther back to Friar’s Road, bet from 15-1 on the morning line down to 4-1.

Final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:58.41.

Santa Anita Sprint Championship

Dr. Schivel earned an all-expenses paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, going gate to wire for a 3 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Grade II race. It was his fifth consecutive victory and fourth with Prat in the saddle.

The 3-year-old Violence colt is 3-0 in 2021, going into Saturday’s race off a victory in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes on July 31 at Del Mar. Dr. Schivel, who went postward as the 9-5 favorite, is undefeated since being transferred to trainer Mark Glatt’s barn after his victory in the 2020 Del Mar Futurity.

Flagstaff, the 7-2 third choice, finished second, a nose in front of C Z Rocket, the 2-1 second choice. Final time for the 6 furlongs was 1:09.44.

City of Hope Mile

Trainer Peter Miller believes Mo Forza is the best turf miler in the country, and the 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo did nothing to dispel that notion in the $200,000 Grade II event for 3-year-olds and upward.

Fifth and last after the first half-mile, the 3-5 favorite unleashed a powerful closing kick in the final eighth of a mile to edge Smooth Like Strait by a half-length while running the 1 mile in 1:32.45.

Ridden by Prat, Mo Forza won his fourth consecutive race and has won eight of his past nine starts. He gained millionaire status Saturday, raising his career earnings to $1,034,460.