Photo:
Lindsay Affleck / Eclipse Sportswire
Post-time favorite Barnes contested the early pace before
jockey Juan Hernández took him to the lead in the turn on the way to about a
six-length triumph Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes, a
seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
The $3.2 million Into Mischief colt owned by Amr Zedan gave
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his third consecutive win in the San Vicente.
Overall it was Baffert’s 14th victory in the race that dates to Santa Anita’s
first season 90 years ago.
Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.
Barnes (1-1) dueled McKinzie Street (12-1) for the lead through
early fractions of 22.65 and 45.10 seconds. Just after that first half-mile,
Barnes made his move, taking the five-colt field through three-quarters of a
mile in 1:09.60 on the way to a winning time of 1:22.15, the fastest running of
the San Vicente in six years.
“BARNES ($4.00) is a beast!” – @FrankMirahmadi@JJHernandezS19 guided the three-year-old to victory in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G3) at @SantaAnitaPark. @BobBaffert trains the colt by @spendthriftfarm‘s Into Mischief for owner @ZedanRacing. pic.twitter.com/TaBdO80fei
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 4, 2025
Romanesque (7-1) closed from mid-pack to finish second and
complete the exacta for Baffert. Bullard (1-1), who brought in a 2-for-2 record
for trainer Michael McCarthy, was third through most of the race and finished
there. Smooth Cruisein (30-1) came in fourth, and McKinzie Street wilted to
last.
Barnes, who won his 5 1/2-furlong debut in November at Churchill Downs, attracted late betting interest and was the favorite
by $307 over Bullard in the win pool that carried $308,404. He paid $4.00,
$2.80 and $2.10. Romanesque returned $5.20 and $2.40. Bullard paid $2.10 to
show.
This story will be updated.
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