A pair of Grade 1 events for three-year-olds, the $300,000 Malibu and $300,000 La Brea, highlighted three dirt stakes on Tuesday’s opening day program at Santa Anita.
Malibu
Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman’s Speed Beat Boach dueled with stablemate Hejazi before proving best in the stretch of the seven-furlong Malibu, edging away to a 1 1/2-length decision. Favored at 8-5 with Flavien Prat, the Bob Baffert-trained colt registered his first Grade 1 victory and stopped the teletimer in 1:21.70.
A debut maiden winner on dirt in September 2022, Speed Boat Beach switched to turf and sandwiched an unplaced finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) around wins in the Cecil DeMille (G3) and Speakeasy S. last year. The dark bay son of Bayern was sidelined nearly 10 months, opening his three-year-old season with a head second in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) in late September, and Speed Boat Beach was exiting a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Hejazi, the 2.10-1 second following a convincing allowance win at Santa Anita in early November, flashed speed from the outside and established the opening quarter-mile in :22.21 while under heavy pressure from Speed Boat Beach, who forged his way to a half-length advantage on the far turn through a half-mile in :44.42. The runner-up had every chance turning for home, but Speed Boat Beach had more to offer and surged clear with a furlong remaining.
Speed Boat Beach increased his earnings to $498,000 from a 7-4-1-0 record. Hejazi held second by three lengths over Giant Mischief, and Damon’s Mound, Raise Cain, Fort Bragg, and Sharp Aza Tack completed the order.
Bred in Florida by Caperlane Farm, Speed Boat Beach was purchased for $200,000 at last year’s OBS March two-year-old sale. He’s the lone foal to race from the unraced Pioneerof the Nile mare Sophia Mia.
La Brea
Daddysruby prevailed over Big Pond in a thrilling La Brea finish, showing speed from the start and winning by a nose after a head-bobbing photo. The California-bred filly made her stakes debut for Peter Miller, notching her fifth win from six career starts, and Juan Hernandez was up on the daughter of Frac Daddy for owners Jethorse, Wachtel Stable, and Gary Barber.
It was a tough beat for Big Pond, who was in front before and after the wire and completed a California-bred exacta.
Off as the 6.10-1 fourth choice, Daddysruby showed speed from her innermost post at the break, showing the way through opening fractions in :22.1, :44.49, and 1:09.60 on a short advantage. She led by a led by a length in upper stretch, but Big Pond closed boldly to just miss. The final time was 1:23.06.
It was another four lengths to 5.40-1 second choice Clearly Unhinged, who was followed by Royal Spa, Fast and Shiny, Ice Dancing, Satin Doll, 8-5 favorite Howl, and Bangs.
After winning her career on Golden Gate’s Tapeta in Janury, Daddysruby was transferred to Miller and captured an state-bred allowance rivals over at Santa Anita in March. She came back from a freshening to win a restricted turf allowance at Del Mar in early August, and after a fourth on turf a month later, Daddysrubby switched back to dirt with a 5 1/4-length allowance romp over open rivals at Santa Anita in late October.
The gray lass has now bankrolled $352,014. Daddysruby is first stakes winner from You and I mare Youtheprizeandi and she was bred by Jethorse.
San Antonio
In the $200,000 San Antonio (G2), Newgrange tracked pacesetter Brickyard Ride until the conclusion of the far turn and drove to a clear lead entering the stretch, drawing off to a 2 1/4-length win. Irad Ortiz Jr. was up for Phil d’Amato on the four-year-old son of Violence, and Brickyard Ride is campaigned by David A. Bernstein, Little Red Feather Racing, and Rockingham Ranch.
Now a four-time graded stakes winner, Newgrange raced up close to splits in :23.26, :47.31, and 1:11.11 before going on to complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.79 as the 3.80-1 third choice. Mixto, the 9-1 longest shot among five rivals, rallied from last on the far turn for second, a half-length better than pacesetter Brickyard Yard. It was another half-length to multiple Argentinian Group 1 winner and 13-10 favorite Subsanador, who lacked the needed rally from off the pace in his U.S. debut, and Stilleto Boy was never a serious factor.
Newgrange was exiting a third in the Nov. 26 Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar. Winner of the San Pasqual (G2) earlier this year, the dark bay colt was making his third start back from a seven-month layoff. Newgrange won the Sham (G3) and Southwest (G3) in 2022, departing the Kentucky Derby trail after a sixth at odds-on in the Rebel (G2), and the Kentucky-bred has now earned $887,634 from a 12-6-0-4 record.
