Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Life Is Good still has some growing up to do
ARCADIA, Calif. – A day after Life Is Good recorded a commanding win in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert reflected on the colt’s ability three races into his career.
“He’s very green,” Baffert said. “What we witnessed yesterday was raw, green talent. He’s shown us that from day one.”
Life Is Good led throughout the $301,000 San Felipe Stakes, was never challenged by his six rivals, and pulled clear to win by eight lengths despite drifting out noticeably through the stretch under jockey Mike Smith.
The San Felipe confirmed Life Is Good’s status as a toptier candidate for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1. Life Is Good ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.18 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 107.
Life Is Good is unbeaten in three starts, having won a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs by 9 1/2 lengths on Nov. 22 and his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at a mile by three-quarters of a length over stablemate Medina Spirit here Jan. 2.
The San Felipe was a prep for the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 3, a distance that was not a concern for Baffert on Sunday.
“I’m not worried about that,” Baffert said. “What I saw yesterday convinced me. He did it effortlessly.”
Owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm, Life Is Good has displayed behavioral oddities in other ways. Before the San Felipe, Baffert noted that Life Is Good was distracted by a small crowd surrounding the paddock and walking ring. The track was allowed to have owners and a select number of other attendees for Saturday’s program, a fraction of what would normally be present on a big-race Saturday in a culture without a pandemic, but more than what were in attendance for Life Is Good’s first two starts.
“When he came into the paddock, he didn’t want to come in,” Baffert said. “He saw people. He had to follow horses. Authentic was a little like that. He’d see things.”
Authentic, the 2020 Horse of the Year, won the San Felipe Stakes last March, but did not race again until the Santa Anita Derby in June, finishing second in a race delayed two months by the pandemic. In the final months of 2020, Authentic won a rescheduled Kentucky Derby in September and the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in November in his final start before going to stud.
Medina Spirit finished second to Life Is Good in the San Felipe, his third start of 2021. Trained by Baffert, Medina Spirit won the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 30.
“He showed he’s a racehorse,” Baffert said.
Dream Shake, the winner of a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs in his debut on Feb. 7, was third in the San Felipe, finishing 10 1/4 lengths behind Life Is Good. The performance left trainer Peter Eurton optimistic about Dream Shake’s potential.
“Experience-wise, I knew I wasn’t close,” Eurton said. “First time going two turns against this quality, he doesn’t have conditioning or experience. He was a little keen and that was to be expected. As much as I tried to alleviate that by working him behind horses, he’s a competitive horse.”
Eurton said a start in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby is a possibility for Dream Shake, as is the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland on April 3. A decision will be made later this month after consultation with the partnership that owns the colt.
“We’ll leave our options open,” he said. “We’ll see what we all want to do. We’ll see how he is the next couple of weeks.”
Dream Shake will need a win or placing in an upcoming major stakes to secure sufficient qualifying points to gain a place in the Kentucky Derby field.
“Can we run good enough and pick up enough points and get enough experience?” Eurton said. “We don’t have a lot of time. No one does.”
Roman Centurian finished fourth in the San Felipe Stakes, beaten 13 1/2 lengths after racing in last place in the field of seven in the first quartermile. Second in the Lewis, Roman Centurian is expected to start outside of California, with the Blue Grass and Grade 2 Wood Memorial Sakes at Aqueduct at 1 1/8 miles on April 3 as possibilities.
“It’s likely that we ship,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “We’ll look for a track that suits his running style. The track was quick yesterday.
“The next race will tell us where we’re at.”
O’Neill suspended
Top California trainer Doug O’Neill has been suspended 10 days and fined $7,500 after one of his runners at Santa Anita in October tested positive for the anesthetic lidocaine.
The penalties were part of a stipulated agreement between O’Neill and the California Horse Racing Board and were published in a ruling issued Saturday by Santa Anita stewards Ron Church, Luis Jauregui, and Kim Sawyer.
O’Neill was suspended 30 days, but 20 days of the penalty were stayed provided he does not have any violations for medications in classes 1, 2 or 3 through March 6, 2022.
The positive was found in a post-race test taken from Howbeit, who finished second in the seventh race on Oct. 9, a six-furlong dirt race for $40,000 claimers. Lidocaine is not permitted to appear in postrace tests.
O’Neill’s suspension began Monday and continues through March 17. During the suspension, O’Neill cannot attend races or be present in the stables.
Through Friday, O’Neill, 52, led all trainers at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with 20 wins, two more than Peter Miller.