Cave Rock romps in American Pharoah Stakes, will head to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as favorite
ARCADIA, Calif. – A 2-year-old colt named for a hole in a mountain ran a hole in the wind Saturday at Santa Anita to solidify his role as early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Cave Rock ($2.40) smoked the Grade 1, 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah in a blistering 1:43.05, winning by more than five lengths as trainer Bob Baffert finished 1-2-3-4 in the eight-runner Win and You’re In for the BC Juvenile. Cave Rock received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’s the real deal, isn’t he?” co-owner Mike Pegram said.
No doubt.
Pegram, co-owners Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, and jockey Juan Hernandez will head to Keeneland with a colt who has risen to the head of the class in California.
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A son of the late stallion Arrogate, Cave Rock broke running Saturday, and the rest was history. After an opening half in 46.82 seconds and six furlongs in 1:11.07, Hernandez said “at the quarter pole he changed leads and starting going again. That’s a really fast time, and he was doing that really comfortably.”
The official margin was 5 1/4 lengths over National Treasure. Hejazi finished 3 1/2 lengths back in third, and Gandolfini finished fourth. Baffert believes it was the first time he saddled the first four finishers in a Grade 1.
National Treasure was making only the second start of his career, and Baffert said afterward that National Treasure would remain under consideration for the BC Juvenile, while he hits the reset button with Hejazi. His next start will be in a maiden race.
The star of the American Pharoah was Cave Rock, who Pegram said was named for a highway tunnel on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe. The win was the undefeated colt’s third romp, following a six-length debut victory against maidens and 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity.
Making his first start around two turns on Saturday, Cave Rock ran the same way he did in his two sprints. He used his weapon, which is speed.
“He’s pretty handy,” Baffert said. “He’s speed. He’s a powerful horse. He’s tough. He’s quick.
“I liked at the clock right away and said ‘Wow,’ that’s racehorse time.”
Following the Baffert quartet, the order of finish was Man Child, Skinner, Macnamara, and Odonata.
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