I still think Life Is Good is the best of the 3-year-olds, but others are gaining on him.
The Bob Baffert-trained Life Is Good will get his chance to shine Saturday when he runs in the Grade II, $300,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16-miles at Santa Anita on Saturday.
The two horses I have right behind him in our Derby Dozen did what they were supposed to do last weekend. Essential Quality, who is tops on many lists, dazzled with a 4 1/4-length win in the Grade III, $750,000 Southwest at Oaklawn, keeping him unbeaten in four career starts.
And Greatest Honour, from Shug McGaughey, was impressive as well when he rallied to win the Grade II, $300,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park by 1 1/2 lengths.
The Southwest and Fountain of Youth were run at 1 1/16 miles.
Essential Quality, from last year’s Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, was making his first start of the year. The gray son of Tapit will continue his journey toward Louisville and the Kentucky Derby with one more start. It will come in either the Grade II, $800,000 Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 3 or the Grade I, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 10.
“It was a big performance off the layoff,” Cox said of Essential Quality’s Southwest, which was run over a sloppy and sealed Oaklawn track. “Hopefully, we can take another jump or two forward, I think, in order to win the Derby. Hopefully, he has it in him.”
Greatest Honour, also a son of Tapit, looked like he was not going to be a factor at all in the Fountain of Youth even though he was the even-money favorite. It wasn’t until jockey Jose Ortiz swung his horse to the outside that Great Honour took off.
“You know, I’m not one to give up until it’s time to give up,” McGaughey said. “I knew things weren’t going the way we wanted them to go. They weren’t going that fast in front of us. I saw what was happening and I felt like if we would get him to the outside we’d have a chance. That’s exactly what happened.”
There will be no more races at 1 1/16 miles for Greatest Honour and he’ll be pointed to the Grade I, $750,000 Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles on March 27. After winning the Fountain of Youth, Greatest Honour is on top of the Kentucky Derby standings with 60 points.
Besides the San Felipe this weekend, there are two other Kentucky Derby preps. Sam F. Davis winner Candy Man Rocket will headline the Grade II, $400,000 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby and Aqueduct Race Track will run the Grade III, $250,000 one-mile Gotham.
The Gotham will feature yet another of Baffert’s Derby prospects in Freedom Fighter, although he has to prove to his trainer that he can go long. Also in the field is the Chad Brown-trained Highly Motivated, who figures to go off as the favorite.
Highly Motivated, who is by Into Mischief, will be making his first start of 2021 after winning two of three as a 2-year-old. Both the wins came at 6 1/2 furlongs.
He has worked seven times at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, the most recent being a four-furlong move in 49.40 seconds on Sunday.
“He has always been a good-sized, strong-looking colt,” Brown said. “Each work off the layoff has been better and better, which is what you expect. All signs are pointing that he will give a good account of himself in his first race as a 3-year-old. We’ll see.”
Trainer Bob Baffert, shown after the Kentucky Derby last year, has his Life Is Good on top of the Derby Dozen so far this year. (Skip Dickstein/Special to the Times Union)
Skip DicksteinRank (Prev.) Horse Trainer Jockey Comment
1 (1). Life is Good Bob Baffert Mike Smith Plenty of speed, has already been compared to last year’s Horse of the Year and Derby winner Authentic, makes third career start in San Felipe on Saturday.
2 (2). Essential Quality Brad Cox Luis Saez Passed the first test when he rolled to win Southwest at Oaklawn last week on off track, is now 4-for-4 for career, poised to take over top spot.
3 (3). Greatest Honour Shug McGaughey Jose Ortiz Showed his class when flying home late to win Fountain of Youth last week, is going to be plenty scary as the distances get longer.
4 (4). Risk Taking Chad Brown Eric Cancel Has been in New York all winter, Withers winner will wait until Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3, blinkers have been a game-changer for him.
5 (5). Concert Tour Bob Baffert Joel Rosario Unraced at 2, has won both races this year sprinting with triple-digit speed figures, son of Street Sense trying two turns in Oaklawn’s Rebel on March 13.
6 (6). Mandaloun Brad Cox Florent Geroux Vaulted into the picture with a win in Risen Star at Fair Grounds, Louisiana Derby on March 20 is next.
7 (7). Medina Spirit Bob Baffert John Velazquez Won Robert B. Lewis after getting beat three-quarters of a length by Life is Good in Sham, will get another shot at him in San Felipe with new rider Johnny V.
8 (8). Caddo River Brad Cox Florent Geroux Eye-popping 101/4-length win in Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, which was first try around two turns, makes him a player, will see him in Rebel.
9 (9). Candy Man Rocket Bill Mott Junior Alvarado Did not beat stellar bunch in Sam F. Davis at Tampa, but answered some questions, will have to answer more in Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday.
10 (NR). Spielberg Bob Baffert Martin Garcia Jumped into the picture when he was second behind Essential Quality in Southwest, Second in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 94-1, third in Robert B. Lewis, but beat a neck for the win, expect he moves forward in Louisiana Derby.
11 (11). Freedom Fighter Bob Baffert Manny Franco Baffert sending him East for Gotham on Saturday at Aqueduct, has to prove to trainer he can go long.
12 (NR). Highly Motivated Chad Brown Javier Castellano Stretching out to one-turn mile in Gotham, sire Into Mischief also the sire of Authentic.
Dropped out: Hot Rod Charlie (10), Jackie's Warrior (12).
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Derby Dozen: Life Is Good still on top - Times Union
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