Life Is Good calm and collected in five-furlong breeze

ARCADIA, Calif. – The lessons being taught to Life Is Good, and a subtle but apparently effective equipment change, resulted in a far more settled performance in a workout Monday morning at Santa Anita, when the undefeated 3-year-old colt effortlessly worked five furlongs in 1:00.80.

Life Is Good went along so easily that clockers designated the work as breezing, which is given out rarely in California, as most works are labeled handily. Of the 137 works on Monday on both the main and training tracks, his was the only one so denoted.

Life Is Good worked following the third and final renovation break, shortly after 9 a.m. Working alone under exercise rider Juan Ochoa, he went off comfortably and maintained a steady pace throughout. He walked off after the work, accompanied by a pony, looking as though he took the work well, something Ochoa confirmed to trainer Bob Baffert.

“I can go again,” Ochoa said.

Life Is Good, 2 for 2, comes off a victory in the Sham Stakes last month, and is scheduled to make his next start on March 6 in the San Felipe Stakes. A new bit appears to have given Ochoa more control of the at-times headstrong colt. Going out after the last break, when it’s less frenetic than earlier in the morning, also seems to have helped.

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“I need quiet for him,” Baffert said.

Baffert is still deciding what do to with several of his Kentucky Derby prospects, but one decision made Monday is that Freedom Fighter, runner-up to stablemate Concert Tour in the San Vicente earlier this month, will go to Aqueduct for the Gotham Stakes on March 6. Owing to jockey protocols in New York, no one from California can travel for the race, so Manny Franco will have the mount, Baffert said.

Freedom Fighter worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds Monday.

Concert Tour is likely for either the San Felipe March 6 or the Rebel at Oaklawn March 13. Plans for Medina Spirit, winner of the Robert Lewis last time out, are to be determined, Baffert said. “He’s just starting to grow. He’s a light horse,” Baffert said, hinting he may have only one more start between now and the Kentucky Derby May 1.

Also Monday, the champion female sprinter Gamine had her second work on the comeback trail, an easy half-mile in 50.20 seconds. She is a ways away from a race, but one spot Baffert said he is contemplating this spring is the Grade 1, seven-furlong Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on Derby weekend.

A trio of top-class horses prepped for the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile on turf March 6, led by Hit the Road, who comes off a smashing return victory in the Thunder Road. He went a half-mile in 49.60 seconds for Dan Blacker.

Storm the Court, the 2019 champion 2-year-old male who has performed well on turf, flew through a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, the fastest drill of 66 at the distance, for Pete Eurton.

Count Again, working on the training track – which Phil D’Amato prefers for his grass runners – went five furlongs in 59.80 seconds, the fastest of six at that distance on that surface Monday.

The Kilroe Mile is also expected to include such terrific grass runners as Ride a Comet and Smooth Like Strait.