Frankel Counts on You for Victory in the Oaks

A week after he won his first Santa Anita Handicap with Milwaukee Brew, trainer Bobby Frankel collected his initial Santa Anita Oaks victory.

You, the 4-5 favorite, took a 2-1 lead over Habibti in their California rivalry with a half-length victory Saturday at Santa Anita.

Purchased privately by Frankel last summer for owner Ed Gann, the 3-year-old You And I filly was ridden perfectly by jockey Jerry Bailey and won for the fifth time in eight starts.

Well-positioned in the clear behind a moderate pace carved out by Adoration and 55-1 shot Ile De France, You took the lead with about a furlong to go and won in 1:42 3/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Habibti, the 9-5 second choice who had beaten You in the Hollywood Starlet in December before finishing second to her in the Las Virgenes here last month, had no visible excuses, although trainer Bob Baffert would beg to differ.

He said jockey Victor Espinoza had the daughter of Tabasco Cat too far back early, but she was only two lengths behind her rival after a half-mile and a little more than a length behind the winner after six furlongs.

“The rider is going to give me a heart attack,” said Baffert. “He gives her too much to do. He had her too far back. You can’t give You a head start like that.

“A filly like that, when they are that good, you’ve got to be right there with her. You can’t be three lengths behind her. You’re not going to close on her, a good filly like that.”

You, who began her career by winning a $50,000 maiden claimer at Churchill Downs last June 1, earned her third Grade I score. Before the Oaks, she had taken the Las Virgenes and the Frizette last fall at Belmont Park. Her 60% share of Saturday’s $300,000 purse boosted her earnings to $840,440.

“She has shown her versatility so far,” said Bailey, who left immediately after the race for New Orleans, where he will ride Repent for the first time in today’s Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. “She was a little further back, she rated nice and she beat the ones she’s been beating.”

Frankel and Baffert indicated the two fillies will get together again, but it will be out of town. They will both be pointed toward the Kentucky Oaks on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Ile De France saved third by a nose over 35-1 shot Farda Amiga, then came Respectful, Daddy’s Gold, Dancing, Adoration, the 8-1 third choice and Lady George.

*

Bosque Redondo, the 2-1 second choice, led from start to finish and won the $101,850 Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Chris McCarron for owner-breeders John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery and trainer Paco Gonzalez, the 5-year-old Mane Minister horse prevailed by a head over 6-5 favorite Reba’s Gold.

In earning his fifth win in 12 starts, Bosque Redondo completed the mile in 1:35 2/5.

*

Dream Run ($10.40) rallied on the outside to capture the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship.

Ridden by Pat Day for owner J.D. Murphy and trainer Paul McGee, the 4-year-old Cherokee Run colt won for the third time in five races at Gulfstream Park. He ran the seven furlongs in 1:22 1/5.

Binthebest was second and Burning Roma third in a race where 11-10 favorite Hook And Ladder finished last in the field of eight.

*

Winless in three starts since shocking Officer in the California Cup Juvenile Nov. 3 at Santa Anita, Yougottawanna surprised favored Danthebluegrassman in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

Owned by Sid Craig and Ted Aroney’s Halo Farms and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Yougottawanna rallied from off the pace to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:43 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Ridden by Jason Lumpkins, the 3-year-old Candi’s Gold gelding earned his fourth win in 10 starts and paid $17.80 as the fourth choice in the field of 10.

The winner of the Gold Rush and Golden Gate Derby in two previous races at the track, Danthebluegrassman, the 8-5 favorite trained by Baffert for owner Mike Pegram, finished two lengths ahead of 58-1 shot Lusty Latin.

Hollendorfer’s other entrant, Cappuchino, who had finished a nose behind Danthebluegrassman in the Golden Gate Derby, was eighth as the 5-2 second choice.