PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $82,042 INTO THURSDAY

(Edited Santa Anita Park report)

ARCADIA, Calif.  – Following a troubled sixth in the Grade III El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, Thomas Baines returned to Santa Anita Wednesday to run down 7-10 favorite Bulldogger in the $48,800 allowance feature for 3-year-olds at one mile.

All the pre-race attention had been focused on trainer Bob Baffert’s Bulldogger, who had been sidelined with sore shins after winning his debut by 6½ lengths last summer at Saratoga, and the son of Dixie Union streaked to the front in Wednesday’s comeback.

But with Garrett Gomez in the saddle, the $300,000 yearling purchase ran out of steam at the sixteenth pole while passed by both Thomas Baines and runner-up Indian Firewater, a stablemate from the Baffert barn.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, the fast-closing Thomas Baines ran the distance in 1:35.94. The winning margin over Indian Firewater, with Martin Garcia aboard, was one-half length. It was another three-quarters of a length back to the tiring Bulldogger.

As the second choice in a field of seven, Thomas Baines returned $11, $4.60 and $2.80. The mutuels on Indian Firewater were $5.20 and $2.80. Bulldogger paid $2.10 to show.

A gelded son of Johannesburg who is trained by Doug O’Neill, Thomas Baines is not Triple Crown nominated.  Prior to his rough trip in the El Camino Real, he had finished third in Golden Gate’s California Derby and third in Santa Anita’s Eddie Logan Stakes.

Bulldogger clearly needed his race after leading through fractions of 23.42; 47.12; 1:11.36 and 1:23.44. “He wouldn’t settle and he got a little tired.  He’d been away a while, since Saratoga (Aug. 29).” Gomez said. “All in all, it was a good effort.”

Although bred in Kentucky, Thomas Baines began his career with seven races in England before joining O’Neill’s barn. Wednesday’s win was his first in four U.S. starts and brought his career record to 2-0-5 in 12 races. Owned by A J L Productions, Thomas Baines earned $28,800 on Wednesday which boosted his career total to $62,390.

Racing continues on Thursday with an eight-race program that gets underway at 1 p.m.

PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $82,042 INTO THURSDAY; SUPER HIGH 5 CARRYOVER AT $41,782

No one connected all six dots in Santa Anita’s Pick Six on Wednesday, resulting in a carryover of $82,042 into Thursday and the prospect of a total pool of more than $300,000.

In addition to the Pick Six, there is a carryover into Thursday of $41,782 in the Super High 5, which requires players to pick the first five finishers in each day’s final race.

Wednesday’s Pick Six commenced with race three, which was won by Asanti, who was ridden by Mike Smith and is trained by Paco Gonzalez.  Asanti paid $4.80 to win.  A 4-year-old filly by Skimming, she was bred in Kentucky by her owners, John and Cheryl Toffan.

Race four went to Maybe Yes under Garrett Gomez and paid $7.80 to win.  Trained by Jerry Fanning, the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred ridgeling by More Than Ready is owned by the Fanning Family Trust, Potter and Travato.

The fifth race was won by Sandy Cheeks, who was ridden by Alonso Quinonez and paid $6.20 to win.  Trained by Barry Abrams, the 3-year-old California-bred filly by Souvenir Copy is owned by her breeder, Richard Rosenberg.

The sixth race produced a significant upset, as 3-5 favorite Bulldogger tired late and finished third.  The race was won by the Doug O’Neill conditioned Thomas Baines, who paid $11 to win and was ridden by Rafael Bejarano.  The 3-year-old gelding by Johannesburg is owned by AJL Productions, LLC.

The chalk was erased again in race seven, as the comebacking You Lift Me Up scored impressively under Joel Rosario, paying $17.20 to win.  Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the 5-year-old California-bred mare by Lord Carson is owned by Hollendorfer and Todaro.

The biggest win mutuel of the day was reserved for the eighth and final event, as No Grande, under apprentice Cosme Rivera, paid $24.  A 5-year-old California-bred horse by Skimming, No Grande is owned and trained by Ricardo Zamora.