Baffert, with Sabino Canyon, continues to rule Los Alamitos Derby
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CYPRESS, Calif. - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s remarkable streak of 10 consecutive wins in the Los Alamitos Derby now includes a maiden.
On Saturday, Sabino Canyon ($5.60) won for the first time in his third start in the $100,000 race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
Ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Sabino Canyon closed from third on the turn and ran past 3-5 favorite Start the Ride in the final furlong to win by a half-length.
Sabino Canyon was timed in 1:50.45.
Gonzalez, who won a stakes for Baffert for the first time on Saturday, said a key to the win was giving Sabino Canyon a rival to chase.
“My horse was waiting around,” Gonzalez said. “I showed him the whip on the turn to get him more focused. When he saw the target, he ran him down. He was waiting.”
Start the Ride closed from fourth to take the lead in early stretch. He had a one-length advantage with a furlong remaining.
“He lost a little focus when he got to the lead,” jockey Armando Ayuso said.
“I didn’t want to go on the inside. I had no options. He made a nice move and he lost a little moment and he hung.”
Fionello (5-1) closed from last to finish third, three lengths behind Sabino Canyon. Southern Melodee finished fourth, with Fuego Del Sol last in a field of five.
The third- through fifth-place finishers were supplemented to the race for $4,000 when entries were taken on Wednesday.
Start the Ride was favored on the strength of a win in the California Cup Derby in January and a recent win in an allowance race at a mile against California-breds, both at Santa Anita.
Sabino Canyon, a colt by Maxfield, races for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.
Purchased for $575,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Sabino Canyon was last of six in his debut in a maiden race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in March, and fourth of six in a maiden race at a mile on dirt there on May 22.
Prior to Saturday’s victory, Baffert’s nine consecutive winners in the Los Alamitos Derby were West Coast (2017), Once On Whiskey (2018), Game Winner (2019), Uncle Chuck (2020), Classier (2021), High Connection (2022), Reincarnate (2023), Wynstock (2024) and Nevada Beach (2025).
Baffert also won the race with Gimme Da Lute in 2015.
FARAN WINS DEBUT
In Saturday’s fourth race, Faran, purchased for $3.4 million at the 2024 Saratoga Sale of select yearlings, won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Faran ($3.20) was always near the front and won by 1 3/4 lengths over 3-1 Noble Testament.
A 3-year-old colt by Not This Time, Faran was timed in 1:16.74.
Faran was Rispoli’s first mount since sustaining a leg injury at Gulfstream Park in January.
Faran is owned by Amr Zedan and is trained by Baffert. He was the most expensive hip of the prestigious Saratoga sale.
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