Mister Frisky took the lead in the middle of the turn for home and won the Santa Anita Derby going away yesterday, tying the fabled Citation for the longest modern winning streak in North America.
The victory was the 16th for the unbeaten Mister Frisky, trained by Laz Barrera and campaigned in Puerto Rico during his 2-year-old season. Mister Frisky went off the 3-5 favorite and became the first unbeaten 3-year-old since Majestic Prince in 1969 to win the Santa Anita Derby.
"He's a little machine," Barrera had said of the horse, which will probably take Barrera to his first Kentucky Derby since 1983 with a real chance to win.
Video Ranger, who went off a 35-1 shot, rallied for second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Mister Frisky. The 9-2 second choice, Warcraft, was third, another half length back. Real Cash, who led to the half-mile pole, was fourth, 1 3/4 lengths behind Warcraft.
The Santa Anita Derby winners the last two years, Winning Colors and Sunday Silence, have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby, which will be run on May 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Neither, however, went to Kentucky with such impressive numbers.
Mister Frisky, a grandson of Round Table, came to the United States from Puerto Rico on Jan. 17, an unknown yet a winner of all 13 of his races. Then, he won the San Vincente and San Rafael Stakes.
Mister Frisky covered the 1 1/8 miles yesterday in 1:49, two seconds off the stakes record of Lucky Debonair in 1965. But the time came after blistering early fractions of 22 3/5 for the first quarter and 46 2/5 for the half. The first six furlongs were run in 1:10 2/5.
Mister Frisky, ridden by Gary Stevens, paid $3.20, $3 and $2.60, and Video Ranger, ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, returned $11.20 and $4.80. Warcraft, with Chris McCarron riding, paid $3.
[ Ссылка ]
