Kaleem Shah’s Can the Man shrugged off a seven-month layoff and coped with
two turns to wire Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,750
Affirmed
Stakes at Santa Anita. Contested a little more than an hour after California
Chrome was unable to sweep the Triple Crown at Belmont Park, the 1 1/16-mile
affair for sophomores still honors the last horse to achieve American
Thoroughbred racing’s most elusive honor.
Can the Man, who was named after trainer Bob Baffert’s son Canyon, was
completing a cross-country double for connections. On the Belmont Stakes
undercard, Bayern — a fellow Shah colorbearer from the Baffert barn —
dominated the seven-furlong Woody Stephens.
Last seen landing the October 14 Speakeasy over six furlongs at Santa Anita,
Can the Man was bet down to 9-5 favoritism off four consecutive bullet works at
this distance. The bay bobbled out of the gate, but recovered to flash early
speed for regular rider Martin Garcia. After matching strides with Frensham
through an opening quarter of :24 1/5, he enjoyed sole command through tepid
splits of :48 4/5 and 1:12 2/5. Skipping clear of Frensham and Arkenstone at the
head of the lane, Can the Man safely held the rallying Friendswith K Mill in a
final time of 1:44 1/5 on the fast track.
A 1 1/4-length winner, Can the Man paid $5.80 to win and advanced his
scorecard to 5-3-0-1, $216,000. Friendswith K Mill got up to edge Forever
Juanito by a head for second. Next came Big Tire, Arkenstone, Frensham,
Lolo El Canonero and Rebranded.
Can the Man was a sharp debut winner at Del Mar last August. Wheeling back
for the Del Mar Futurity, he ducked in at the gap, argued the pace, and gained
command in the stretch, but yielded late to Tamarando and Dance With Fate.
Finishing sixth, with a trouble line, was California Chrome. Can the Man made
his next appearance in the FrontRunner at this track and trip, where he was
softened up in a pace duel and tired to fourth behind the ill-fated Bond Holder
and his Del Mar Futurity foes Dance With Fate and Tamarando.
Shortening up to a sprint and taking the blinkers off, Can the Man rebounded
with a 1 3/4-length decision in the aforementioned Speakeasy. He kept the
blinkers off while stretching out successfully in his Affirmed comeback.
Can the Man was bred by Malibu Farm in Kentucky and toured the sales ring
three times. The son of Into Mischief brought $40,000 as a weanling at Keeneland
November, but failed to reach his reserve at a bid of $60,000 as a Fasig-Tipton
Kentucky October yearling. The story was different at Barretts last May, as he
commanded $320,000 as a two-year-old in training.
From one of the most coveted families in the stud book, Can the Man is out of
French Group 2 heroine Smolensk, a daughter of multiple Grade 1-winning blue hen
Blush With Pride. Smolensk is thus a half-sister to Broodmare of the Year Better
Than Honour, the dam of 2007 Belmont-winning champion Rags to Riches, 2006
Belmont winner Jazil, Irish highweight Man of Iron and Grade 2 scorer Casino
Drive, and the ancestress of last year’s Hollywood Starlet queen Streaming.
Smolensk is also a half-sister to Group 3 victor Turnberry Isle and Group
1-placed Maryinsky, the dam of European co-champion filly Peeping Fawn and
French champion Thewayyouare, now a promising young sire.
Can the Man’s third dam is Broodmare of the Year Best in Show, whose
descendants include such champions as El Gran Senor, Try My Best, Xaar,
Aldebaran, Spinning World, Domedriver and Redoute’s Choice. Another distant
maternal relative is multiple Grade 1 star Close Hatches, winner of a
scintillating renewal of Saturday’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com