Muth passes distance test with American Pharoah win

ARCADIA, Calif. — Muth is more than a fast 2-year-old sprinter. Turns out he also is a fast 2-year-old distance colt, and he proved that at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Santa Anita.

Making his third career start and first at two turns, Muth ($2.80) scored a convincing 3 3/4-length victory over Wine Me Up in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes as trainer Bob Baffert finished one-two and scored his 12th victory in the American Pharoah.

The win earned Muth a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and a rematch with undefeated stablemate Prince of Monaco, early favorite for the Juvenile.

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Muth is still learning, and on Saturday he learned to ration his speed. After employing a front-running style his first two starts –debut sprint romp and runner-up to Prince of Monaco sprinting in the Grade 3 Best Pal at Del Mar – he employed a new strategy in the American Pharoah.

Jockey Juan Hernandez positioned Muth fourth on the rail while Wine Me Up was hustled to the lead setting fractions of 46.49 and 1:10.22. Muth bided his time, comfortably, until Hernandez swung him outside at the quarter pole. Muth took aim at Wine Me Up, ran past, and ran away in 1:42.45, fastest time for the stakes since American Pharoah clocked 1:41.95 in 2014.

Wine Me Up finished 5 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Be You; pace-presser Raging Torrent tired and finished fourth. The order of finish was completed by Rothschild, Indispensable, Next Level, and El Magnifico. Next Level stumbled badly at the break, losing all chance.

Muth is owned by Amr Zedan, who purchased the son of Good Magic for $2 million at a 2-year-olds-in-training sale in March. Muth has been favored all three starts.

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