Exaggerator beats Mor Spirit to win Santa Anita Derby

Exaggerator finally confirmed the belief trainer Keith Desormeaux had all along in his 3-year-old colt.

Making an impressive move on a sloppy track in taking the lead in the upper stretch, Exaggerator won the $1 million Santa Anita Derby by 6 1/4 lengths Saturday, beating 7-5 favorite Mor Spirit in their final showdown before the Kentucky Derby next month.

"For me, this is like a dream," Desormeaux said. "The (Kentucky) Derby is what everybody in this business dreams of."

Desormeaux has his younger brother, Kent, along for the ride. Kent piloted Exaggerator over 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.66 after they were next-to-last early on in the eight-horse field.

"I don't think it has soaked in yet, I'm pretty much in shock," Kent Desormeaux said. "He was the fourth horse that I rode in the mud and the others felt like they had ice skates on. Exaggerator felt like he had track shoes on. He really liked the going and that was part of his incredible effort. He enjoyed the mud."

Exaggerator paid $8.80, $3.60 and $2.80 at 3-1 odds.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Mor Spirit returned $2.80 and $2.40. Uncle Lino was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $5 to show.

"We got hit by the first wave of water and mud going into the first turn," Gary Stevens said of Mor Spirit. "He slipped with me and started lunging."

Danzing Candy, who had led going into the clubhouse turn, finished fourth as the 8-5 second choice under Mike Smith.

"I felt like I was on roller skates out there," Smith said. "He just didn't grab hold of it the way we hoped."

Exaggerator made a similar bold move on the far turn in the San Felipe on March 12, only to finish third by 2 3/4 lengths to winner Danzing Candy and runner-up Mor Spirit. Keith Desormeaux wasn't sure why his colt was unable to finish.

"We had a good pace in the San Felipe, but not a really fast pace," he said. "Today we had a great pace scenario and he took full advantage."

Exaggerator earned 100 points to move into third place in qualifying for the May 7 Derby. Mor Spirit earned 40 points and is in seventh place. Uncle Lino received 20 points, but is in 22nd place and not currently in the Derby field, which has a 20-horse limit. Danzing Candy earned 10 points and is ninth.

Exaggerator swerved coming away from the starting gate while Danzing Candy sped to the lead. Exaggerator entered the stretch three-wide and circled the field in taking the lead before drifting to the inside, where Desormeaux went to a left-handed whip in drawing clear.

"He was ultra-confident," Kent Desormeaux said. "He's so mature and he walked to the gate like an old pony."

It was Kent Desormeaux's second career Derby win, and first since Free House in 1997. His brother won the race for the first time.

Diplodocus was fifth, followed by Denman's Call, Smokey Image and Iron Rob. Rare Candy and Dressed in Hermes were scratched.

Heavy rain fell early in the day, with fog mostly obscuring the San Gabriel Mountains, creating just the fourth off-track in the race's 79-year history and the first since Point Given also won in the slop in 2001. The weather affected attendance, with 27,821 on hand.

Earlier in the day, Keith Desormeaux scratched Texas Red, who was set to make his 4-year-old debut on turf in the Thunder Road Stakes. The colt hasn't raced since finishing fifth in the Travers Stakes last summer. He won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2014, but got injured and was unable to run in last year's Triple Crown races.

"I'm just going to pray that unlike Texas Red we make it there," Kent Desormeaux said.

In other stakes:

— Songbird improved to 7-0 in her career with a 3 [3/4]-length victory in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies. Ridden by Mike Smith, Songbird ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.14 and paid $2.20 to win as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite. A whopping $751,734 was bet to show on Songbird, triggering a minus show pool of $138,844, that was lost by national wagering entities. Smith's red-and-white silks didn't have a drop of mud on them with Songbird leading all the way in the Grade 1 race. Mokat was second and She's a Warrior third.

Songbird is headed to next month's $1 million Kentucky Oaks.

"If it doesn't make an owner smile the way she's been running, maybe you should try another business," owner Rick Porter said. "It's so fun to watch."

— Tough It Out won the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths under Joe Talamo. The 3-year-old gelding ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.60 and paid $12.20 to win.

— Pacific Heat won the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths under Flavien Prat. The 3-year-old filly ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.38 and paid $4.40 to win as the 6-5 favorite.

— Decked Out won the $150,000 Providencia Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths for the Desormeaux brothers. Decked Out ran 1 1/8 miles on a turf course listed as good in 1:52.72 and paid $8.60 to win the Grade 3 race.

— Kent Desormeaux won his third stakes on the card with What a View, who won the $100,000 Thunder Road by a length. Trained by Kenneth Black, the 5-year-old dark bay ran a mile on turf in 1:39.01 and paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 3 race.

Outwork wins Wood, gives Repole-Pletcher Derby contender

After Outwork outran a huge long shot to win the $1 million Wood Memorial, the usually business-like Todd Pletcher was all smiles.

And why not? Not only does he have another up-and-coming 3-year-old for the Kentucky Derby in four weeks, he’ll be teaming with one of his favorite owners, the always upbeat Mike Repole.

“He’s so young. He’s only getting better,” Repole said about Outwork. “Thank God the wire came up because another jump, he probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Outwork won by a head over 81-1 long shot Trojan Nation and earned 100 Derby qualifying points. Trojan Nation, winless in six starts, earned 40 points to qualify for a Derby spot.

Outwork is a son of the Repole-owned Uncle Mo, a leading Derby contender in 2011 who ran third in the Wood at 1-10 odds and missed the Derby with a nearly fatal liver disease.

“To come back here five years later, with a son of Uncle Mo ... “ an elated and emotional Repole said in the winner’s circle at Aqueduct Racetrack . “That was one of my toughest racing days. This is one of my best racing days.”

The winning time for the Wood — 1:52.92 for 1 1/8 miles — was the slowest in the history of the race, first running in 1925. But time doesn’t matter much when a Derby shot is on the line.

“It was a great effort,” Pletcher said. On to the Derby? “I think there’s a chance,” he said, grinning.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Outwork raced second behind Matt King Coal for most of the race, then took over in the stretch but had to hold off an unexpected strong challenge along the rail from Trojan Nation.

“He just ran a really gallant race,” Trojan Nation rider Aaron Gryder said. “He definitely has a bright future. They can run him from a maiden race to the Kentucky Derby in his next start.”

Only nine maidens have run in the Derby since 1937 — none won. The last to try was Nationalore, who ran ninth in 1998.

Shagaf, the 9-5 favorite in the field of eight, had a poor start from the rail and finished fifth. The colt trained by Chad Brown lost for the first time in four starts, but already has a Derby spot waiting with 50 for his Gotham win.

Brown said a slow start and muddy conditions may have been an issue for Shagaf.

“If the horse is healthy, I’m inclined to hope for a dry track at Churchill and a better trip.”

Outwork returned $6.80, $4.80 and $3.90. The 3-year-old colt finished second to stablemate Destin in the Tampa Bay Derby in his previous start and goes into the Derby with three wins in four races. Outwork now totals 120 Derby points.

Trojan Nation paid $40.60 and $13.40. Adventist, who earned 20 Derby points, returned $4.90 to show.

Pletcher also has Destin, who won the Tampa Bay Derby, plus a few other possible Derby starters.

“Loved the performance,” Pletcher said after Outwork gave him his fourth Wood win. “I mentioned to Johnny (Velazquez) that I was a little worried that if he made the lead, he might idle a little bit. Luckily the other horse came to him in time to re-engage and see him there.”

Matt King Coal was fourth and earned 10 Derby points, followed by Shagaf, Tale of S’avall, Flexibility and Dalmore.

In earlier stakes races, favorite Kid Cruz ($5) won the $200,000 Excelsior for 4-year-olds and up, favorite Lewis Bay ($5.50) took the $300,000 Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies, 6-5 top choice Unified ($4.40) won the seven-furlong $300,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds. In a later race, Salutos Amigos ($5.10) won the seven-furlong $400,000 Carter for 4-year-olds and up

After the Gazelle, there was a video tribute to Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, who died earlier this week. Under his guidance, the famed Phipps Stable raced five Eclipse Award winners and its first Kentucky Derby winner, Orb, in 2013. The New York Racing Association flag in the infield flew at half-staff. Phipps was chairman of the NYRA board of directors from 1976-1983).

Brody’s Cause claims Kentucky Derby spot with Blue Grass win

Something about marquee races at Keeneland seems to bring out the best in Brody’s Cause, whose latest triumph on the picturesque track placed him squarely in Kentucky Derby contention.

Trainer Dale Romans didn’t mince words about the horse’s prospects in racing’s signature event after Saturday’s impressive Blue Grass victory.

“We’re going into the Kentucky Derby in perfect form,” Romans said after Brody’s Cause stormed to the front entering the stretch and rolled to a 1 ¾-length victory in the $1 million Blue Grass to earn his chance to Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Brody’s Cause won there last September, one of three victories with a third in six career starts.

The Kentucky-bred colt stalked the leaders coming into the final turn before surging ahead for his second win in three Grade 1 Keeneland starts. His other triumph was last fall in the Breeders’ Futurity, followed by a third to leading Derby contender Nyquist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

With Luis Saez aboard for the first time, Brody’s Cause ran 1 1/8 miles on a sunny, cool day in 1:50.20 and paid $10.40, $5 and $3.40. He earned 100 points toward the May 7 Derby at Churchill Downs and stands fifth with 114.

“He was rolling,” Saez said. “He was asking me to let him go and I let him go. When we came to the stretch I knew he would be there.”

My Man Sam edged Cherry Wine by a head for second. My Man Sam returned $5.80 and $4, and Cherry Wine paid $3.60 to show.

Brody’s Cause certainly needed a rebound after getting bumped at the start and running seventh last month in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. Returning to Keeneland seemed to do the trick as the son of Giant’s Causeway took his time on the fast dirt before taking charge in the stretch and clearing the 14-horse field.

“I think he’s just a horse that needed a race,” Romans added of Brody’s Cause.

My Man Sam earned 40 Derby points, Cherry Wine, 20, and Laoban 10.

Way back was race favorite Zulu, one of three Todd Pletcher-trained entrants in the packed field. The Fountain of Youth runner-up to Mohaymen sought to add his first stakes win and was up close early after starting from the No. 4 post position before fading late.

“Zulu seemed to be paying a lot of attention to all the horses around him and not so much to running,” Pletcher assistant Tristan Barry said of Zulu’s run.

In other Grade 1 stakes races:

Long shot Weep No More charged from a distant fourth down the stretch to win the $500,000 Ashland by a neck over Rachel’s Valentina and previously unbeaten favorite Cathryn Sophia. The 30-1 choice lagged far behind the field before jockey Corey Lanerie rallied Weep No More in the final yards for the stunning upset in the Grade 1 fillies prep for the Kentucky Oaks. Weep No More has three straight wins in four starts, including back-to-back stakes victories.

Sheer Drama rallied past Stopchargingmaria to win the $300,000 Grade 1 Madison for older fillies and mares by a neck.