San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
SAN FELIPE STAKES WIN ALL ON HIS OWN
It made perfect sense that Tim Yakteen would find himself in the winner’s circle after Saturday’s running of the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes, a major prep race leading to the Kentucky Derby, at Santa Anita Park.
After all, he had five starters in the race by virtue of inheriting four from fellow trainer Bob Baffert, so those horses would be eligible to win Derby qualifying points while Baffert is banned from Churchill Downs. What few thought, though, is the winner would be the lone entrant that Yakteen has trained since the 3-year-old started racing last year.
Practical Move virtually assured himself a spot in Kentucky after gaining 50 qualifying points with his 21⁄2-length win. He now has 60 points after also winning the Los Alamitos Futurity in December.
Yakteen wouldn’t say if it was more satisfying to win with a horse he’s had for eight months rather than one week.
“Winning is winning; there is nothing more satisfying,” he said.
The San Felipe started with Hejazi taking the lead in front of race favorite Geaux Rocket Ride. They ran down the backstretch that way with Practical Move content in fourth. Practical Move started his move around the far turn and hit the top of the stretch with a lead of 11⁄2 lengths.
Practical Move paid $10.40 to win. Geaux Rocket Ride was second, followed by Skinner, Hejazi, Fort Bragg, Mr Fisk, Chase The Chaos, Genius Jimmy and Bluegrass Go Go. Yakteen also trained Hejazi, Fort Bragg and Mr Fisk. His fifth horse, the morning-line favorite National Treasure, was scratched because of a bruise on his left front hoof. Yakteen said he’ll return to the Derby trail “hopefully this month.”
“This horse keeps getting better and better every day,” winning jockey Ramon Vazquez said of Practical Move. “He can go inside or outside. He is comfortable wherever. He lets me do my job and he does the rest. … I have always dreamed of winning the Kentucky Derby. I had a previous chance in 2015 (riding Mr. Z) for Mr. (Wayne) Lukas. I’m hoping for another chance here.”
Owners Jean Pierre and Leslie Amestoy, who primarily race quarter horses, bought the colt for $230,000 last April. He was sent to Yakteen and made his debut at the
Del Mar.
Stilleto Boy wins Big Cap
Ed Moger Jr. has been a trainer for more than four decades, and his horses have won a lot of races, but none bigger than the Grade I $500,000 Santa Anita Handicap. Stilleto Boy ($29.80) ran down the favorite Defunded and held off a charging Proxy to win by a neck.
“Probably of all the races in California,
this one is a bigger race than the Pacific Classic (at Del Mar),” Moger said. “It’s like the Kentucky Derby of California.”
Moger thinks the 5-year-old’s next race could be the Oaklawn Handicap or possibly the Metropolitan Mile.
In other graded stakes races, Gold Phoenix ($23.60) bulled his way between horses and outkicked Du Jour to win the Grade I Frank E.
Kilroe Mile on the turf by a neck.
Quattroelle ($8.60) won the Grade II $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares, going a mile on the turf.
Forte rolls in FOY
Forte announced himself as a major Kentucky Derby contender, the overwhelming favorite taking command in the stretch to win the Grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.
Sent off at 1-2 odds, Forte finished 11⁄16 miles in 1 minute, 43.12 seconds and returned $3, $2.40 and $2.10 under jockey Irad Ortiz .He won by 41⁄2 lengths over Rocket Can, with Cyclone Mischief taking third.
The win gives Forte 90 points in the Kentucky Derby qualifying standings, guaranteeing him a spot in the Run for the Roses on May 6 assuming the horse remains healthy.
Forte, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as the champion 2-year-old male, has now won five of his six career starts.
Forte’s next start could be the Florida Derby on April 1, also at Gulfstream.