Runhappy Malibu Stakes

(Grade 1)

TAIBA was the star horse in action on the St Stephen’s Day meeting at Santa Anita but despite his impressive win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, he had to share honours with Frankie Dettori who rode three winners on the card in front of an attendance of 41,446.

Bob Baffert also trained the winners of two of the three Grade 1s along with Dettori’s mount, Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer in the Grade 2 San Antonio.

The trainer had five winners on the card and Dettori went on to win two allowance turf races on La Deuxieme Etoile and Ballet Dancing.

In the Malibu, Taiba was looking for his third Grade 1 of the season and over this shorter distance, he was pushed along early by Mike Smith.

“He put him into the race right away - that’s not Taiba’s style,” Baffert said. “The further the better for him.”

Forbidden Kingdom, a dual graded winner went to the front but Taiba and Smith never let Forbidden Kingdom get too far ahead, running just a length back.

“I didn’t see the outside horse, and I decided not to take a chance and see what he was going to do,” Smith said.

“Normally, I have to get aggressive with him at that point like I did in Philadelphia (won the Pennsylvania Derby). But today that horse actually helped me.”

When Taiba reached the top of the stretch, he kicked in, moving alongside Forbidden Kingdom, and from then on drew away to score by four and a quarter lengths in 1m21.75secs. Forbidden Kingdom finished three-quarters of a length in front of third-placed outsider Hoist The Gold.

“At the top of the stretch, it almost looks like he’s gutted, But that’s the way he is. He’s very deceiving. If you watch him in the mornings, he’ll never get a clocker’s eye. He’ll surprise you in the afternoon,” Baffert said afterwards.

Taiba is in contention with Epicenter for the three-year-old colt Eclipse Award. Epicenter won the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes and Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and ran second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, but injured himself in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and did not finish that race in which Taiba was third.

The Gun Runner colt had cost $1,700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton March Sale in 2021.

American Oaks

The Grade 1 American Oaks saw a close finish and victory went to an Irish-bred daughter of Starspangledbanner in the Phil D’Amoto-trained Rhea Moon. She took the $303,000 mile-and-a-quarter race for three-year-old fillies by a head from School Dance and with Sparkle Blue three-quarters of a length back.

“She’s improving every race. She showed up today to do it again,” jockey Juan Hernandez said.

Bred by Kevin Molloy, the filly was purchased privately after placing in her first two starts in Ireland at two for Ken Condon. This was her third win in a row and first Grade 1.

The seven-furlong La Brea Stakes also went to jockey Juan Hernandez, this time with Bob Baffert-trained Arrogate filly Fun To Dream.

Second favourite behind another of Baffert’s four runners in Midnight Memories, Fun To Dream took command at the top of the stretch and held off a late rally from Awake at Midnyte to win her first graded stakes by three-quarters of a length.

Dettori had made his mark early on the card winning the San Antonio Stakes by and easy four and a half lengths on Country Grammer.

He said afterwards on track: “The pressure is on. I’m here for 10 weeks and to ride straight away on the first day... I felt it a bit and once he had the race well at the furlong marker I was able to enjoy the crowd. They were all screaming.

“He won like a good horse again. That was an amazing comeback run.”

Juan Hernandez also won the nine-furlong Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes on the British-bred Dicey Mo Chara (Adaay) for Leonard Powell.