West Coast wins Pennsylvania Derby easily; Irap breaks down after race

Trainer Bob Baffert refers to Mike Smith as “Big Money Mike” for the Hall of Fame jockey’s uncanny ability to deliver one smart ride after another when purse money and pressure are equally as great.

After Smith threw in a rare clunker in the $1-million Cotillion Stakes on Saturday at Parx Racing, he responded with an impeccable performance as streaking West Coast romped by 7 ¼ lengths against ill-fated Irap in the $1-million Pennsylvania Derby.

Irap, trained by Doug O’Neill, broke down shortly after the finish with what was initially diagnosed as a life-threatening fracture of his left-front sesamoid. O’Neill announced on Twitter that the colt was resting comfortably and will be taken to nearby New Bolton Center on Sunday morning and undergo surgery Monday.

Smith admitted to making a premature move aboard heavily favored Abel Tasman that led her second-place finish behind It Tiz Well in the Cotillion

Smith said he wiped those thoughts from his mind as he stood alone in the paddock in the minutes leading to the Pennsylvania Derby.

“I have no choice,” he said, “especially when the next race is worth $1 million.”

He hustled West Coast out of the starting gate from post four and placed him in a perfect stalking position, all but attached to the right flank of early leader Outplay. The son of Flatter took command around the final turn, spinning into the stretch with a four-length advantage. He continued to widen his margin with every stride in completing the mile and an eighth in 1:49.91.

West Coast extended his winning streak to five races, the last two commanding Grade 1 triumphs. He rolled by 3 ¼ lengths in the Aug. 26 Travers before this. He and Always Dreaming, the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby winner, are the only 3-year-olds with two Grade 1 victories on dirt.

The success of Always Dreaming seems like a distant memory, though, because he followed the Kentucky Derby with a lackluster eighth-place finish in the Preakness, ran third in the Jim Dandy, and was an up-the-track ninth in the Travers.

West Coast’s emergence is reminiscent of what occurred last year, when late-developing Arrogate burst onto the scene for Baffert with a record-setting Travers en route to year-end honors as the top 3-year-old male. Arrogate went on to defeat eventual horse of the year California Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Baffert suggested the best is yet to come with West Coast. The blossoming youngster is likely to be pointed to the $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Del Mar. Owners Mary and Gary West plan to keep him in training next season.

“He is just learning how to run,” Baffert said. “To have a 3-year-old at this time of year and the way he won the Travers and now this race, he is going to be a horse to reckon with.”

Smith suggested West Coast towers above the other horses in the division. “He’s just better than they are,” he said. “As a matter of fact, he was getting bored.”