Ax Man leads all the way in Santana Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. - Away from graded stakes, Ax Man is on a three-race winning streak in the last year. On Sunday, Ax Man won the $83,000 Santana Mile on dirt at Santa Anita.

“I think this was the perfect spot for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

Ax Man ($8.80) led throughout the Santana Mile under jockey Edwin Maldonado, pulling clear to win by 4 1/2 lengths over 9-1 Restrainedvengence.
“Bob told me to put him on the lead,” Maldonado said. “It was really simple.”

Ax Man set fractions of 23.11 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.83 for a half-mile, leading by no more than a half-length over 8-1 Major Cabbie. In early stretch, Maldonado urged Ax Man clear.

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“When he makes the lead, he’s really brave,” Baffert said.

Ax Man was timed in 1:36.56 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95. Fashionably Fast, winner of the Tiznow Stakes for California-breds at a mile on Feb. 28, finished third. Mastering, trained by Baffert, finished fourth as the 9-5 favorite, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.

Growth Engine and Major Cabbie were fifth and sixth in the small field.

Ax Man, a 6-year-old gelding by Misremembered, has won 7 of 16 stakes and earned $357,797. Last July, Ax Man finished fourth behind 2019 champion 3-year-old male Maximum Security in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. Ax Man did not race again through 2020.

The Santana Mile was Ax Man’s second start this year, preceded by a fourth as the 3-1 favorite in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs in January.

Ax Man won allowance races here last May and June. The Santana Mile was his first stakes win since the restricted Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico in May 2018.

Ax Man was the third of three winners on Sunday’s nine-race program for Baffert.