NEWS
Pioneerof the Nile wins Santa Anita Derby
Posted: Saturday, April 04, 2009 7:05 PM
PIONEEROF THE NILE
Benoit & Associates photo
To view a video of the Santa Anita Derby, click here.
by Mike Curry
Pioneerof the Nile gave Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record fifth victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and cemented his status as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with a clear win on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Pioneerof the Nile will be shipped to Kentucky with four straight graded stakes wins to his credit after a one-length win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, which Baffert won with Cavonnier (1996), Indian Charlie (‘98), General Challenge (‘99), and dual classic winner Point Given (2001).
“I knew he was going to win the Santa Anita Derby, and once he came out of the gate clean, I felt real good about him,” Baffert said. “I'll just keep him happy and healthy. He's ready to go."
The highly anticipated showdown between Pioneerof the Nile and multiple graded stakes winner The Pamplemousse never came to fruition after the 9-to-5 morning-line favorite was scratched on Saturday morning after veterinarians discovered some heat in a tendon.
Sent off as the overwhelming 4-to-5 favorite in a field reduced to seven with three horses scratched, Pioneerof the Nile moved up to force the pace on the backstretch and seized command on the turn. He completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 under jockey Garrett Gomez in his final prep race for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
A homebred of Zayat Stables, Pioneerof the Nile was flattered less than 30 minutes earlier when I Want Revenge overcame a troubled trip to win the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct. Pioneerof the Nile defeated I Want Revenge by 1 1/2 lengths while conceding seven pounds to that foe in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on February 7 at Santa Anita. Pioneerof the Nile also defeated him by a nose in the CashCall Futurity (G1).
Chocolate Candy closed gamely from last at the three-eighths pole to finish second, one length clear of third-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff.
Feisty Suances set the tempo through an opening quarter in :24.04 in the Santa Anita Derby. Not content to rate behind a leisurely pace, Pioneerof the Nile pulled Gomez from fourth to the lead on the backstretch before easing off the bit.
“Good horses can adapt to any situation,” Baffert said. “That's why he's a good horse. That's why he's won four in a row now. He's learning how to run, but the thing is, he's very competitive, and I felt really good today about him.”
Pioneerof the Nile pressed Feisty Suances through the second turn, shook free when roused by Gomez, and held off fast-closing Chocolate Candy to extend his graded stakes winning streak.
“It wasn't the way we were really trying to get it done today,” Gomez said. “With all the scratches, it just jeopardized the pace for us.
“I was trying to get him to relax a little bit. He was pulling a little, and it was either yank him out pull. It worked out for us. We're happy we won, and we'll go on to the next step.”
With $1,193,250 in graded stakes earnings, Pioneerof the Nile has amassed more than enough earnings in graded stakes to secure his spot in the field for the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
For a video replay of the race, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
