by Jeff Apel

Fairbanks set a determined pace on the inside and drew off in the stretch under urging from jockey Richard Migliore in a dominating 6 3/4-length win in the $107,200 Tokyo City Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Seizing command at the start, Fairbanks kicked clear on the first turn and increased his advantage approaching the finish. Leading runner-up Neko Bay by three lengths in early stretch, Fairbanks easily earned his first career stakes win.

“My horse broke cleanly and I liked the way he was doing it,” Migliore said. “I just decided to go with the flow and he ran a great race.”

Migliore found himself setting the pace with Fairbanks after thinking he might have to relinquish the early lead to either Yes He’s a Pistol or Preachinatthebar. Fairbanks opened a three-length advantage through a half-mile in :47.04 and increased his advantage to four lengths after running six furlongs in 1:11.06.

Team Valor Stables’ Fairbanks then showed superiority in the stretch and won the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:47.87 on a fast track.

Racketeer finished third, one length behind multiple stakes-placed Neko Bay.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fairbanks entered off an unplaced finish in the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on February 4 at Santa Anita. The Giant’s Causeway colt earned a 3 1/2-length win in an allowance race in his seasonal debut on January 3 at Gulfstream Park.

Fairbanks, a half brother to Grade 2 winner Keats, earned his fourth win in eight starts over two seasons and increased his earnings to $147,263. Bred in Kentucky, the colt is out of the Time for a Change mare Alaska Queen.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor