Santin knocked the rust off in Fair Grounds Stakes
Santin might have finished fourth as the favorite this past Saturday in the Fair Grounds Stakes, but it was far from a disappointing fourth, nor was the colt an obvious favorite.
Priced at 12-1 on the track’s morning line, Santin went off the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes, with bettors recognizing the merit of his three-race 2021 campaign, which ended with a tough second-place finish in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby.
Back Saturday from a break nearly three months long, Santin might have been slightly “ring rusty” in the words of trainer Brendan Walsh. At the quarter pole, jockey Tyler Gaffalione needed to administer some stout encouragement with his crop to kick Santin into gear. Santin belatedly launched a bid, getting his last furlong in 12.42 seconds, second only to runner-up Adhamo’s 12.20-second finish. Santin was beaten by only a half-length by winner Cavalry Charge.
“I thought he ran really well,” Walsh said. “Got a 96 Beyer, so it’s hard to be disappointed in that. He’s still learning. I think he’ll just keep improving, and he’d probably improve from the run just naturally.”
Santin, who shipped from Palm Meadows in Florida for the race but remains at Fair Grounds, will run next in the Muniz Memorial on March 26 at Fair Grounds, Walsh said.