Honor A.P. put himself square in the middle of the Kentucky Derby picture with an easy win in the Grade 1 $400,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.
The 3-year-old ridgling, who was second in the San Felipe Stakes, swept past heavily favored Authentic with a strong move into the stretch and won by 2¾ lengths.
Trainer John Shirreffs has been high on Honor A.P. despite having won only one of his previous three starts. He proved that the added distance to 1 1/8 miles was just what the horse needed. Mike Smith has been the jockey on all four of his races.
Honor A.P. paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. Authentic was second followed by Rushie, Anneau d’Or, Shooters Shoot, Friar’s Road and Azul Coast.
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Authentic’s loss was the latest in a difficult two weeks for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. On Saturday, Baffert also learned that Charlatan, winner of one of the two divisions of the Arkansas Derby, was ruled out of the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby when a filling was discovered in a front ankle. The news was first reported by the Paulick Report. The injury is not career ending and the colt might be pointed to the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3.
Charlatan was the subject of an alleged positive test for an overage of lidocaine, a legal analgesic. A second test has been sent to a different laboratory for verification. If the results are negative, there will be no case. If the positive is confirmed, an investigation will be conducted with any likely punishment to affect only the trainer, not the horse.
Baffert also lost Nadal, who was the top-ranked 3-year-old in the Kentucky Derby poll, on May 28 when he suffered a fracture in his left front leg after a workout. It was repaired the same day, and the horse was retired and will be sent to stud.
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One of Baffert’s greatest horses, Arrogate, was euthanized Tuesday after an undiagnosed neurological injury. He was only 7.
As for Honor A.P., it’s too early to determine what his next race will be, although there is a Derby prep race at Del Mar on Aug. 1, the Shared Belief Stakes. Shirreffs has been known to keep his horses close to home if there are suitable races.
Saturday’s victory was worth 100 qualifying points for Honor A.P., which will be enough to allow him to make the 20-horse starting field of the Kentucky Derby.
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June 07, 2020 at 07:24AM
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Honor A.P. picks up easy victory in Santa Anita Derby - Los Angeles Times
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