Bob Baffert trained Pioneer of the Nile was all out in the stretch, but was able to maintain his drive and hold off the late charging Feisty Suances and Jeranimo to prevail in Saturday’s 72nd running of the $200,000 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita. The victory was the third in a row at the graded stakes level and boosted the lifetime earnings of Pioneer of the Nile to $784,200 in 7 lifetime starts. Even more importantly, he’s now earned $240,000 so far this year having prevailed in the Robert B. Lewis (G2) last February.
At the beginning of the race, jockey Joe Talamo sent speedy outside runner New Bay to the front, where he was able to set opening fractions of :23.96 and :48.60. Pioneer of the Nile tracked about 4-5 lengths off of New Bay in the early going and began to move forward near the half-mile pole. Once in the turn, jockey Garrett Gomez asked Pioneer for his run, and he made his bid with about 2 furlongs remaining. He was able to pass New Bay entering the stretch, and then had to hold off the late charges of Feisty Suances and Jeranimo, who were running well late.
Pioneer of the Nile crossed the wire in the 1 1/16 mile San Felipe in 1:43. 35. Sent off as the 1/5 favorite, he returned $2.60 for the win. The $2 Trifecta with Feisty Suances in place and Jeranimo in show returned $72.20.
The win was a sweet one for yours truly as I have both Pioneer of the Nile and jockey Garrett Gomez in the Road to the Roses challenge.
Up next for the son of Empire Maker will be a showdown with The Pamplemousse in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4th. Judging from what we’ve seen, he’ll likely have his hands full with The Grapefruit. All of ‘Pioneer’s recent wins have been close though, so he is definitely a horse with some guts when it counts. It is worth keeping in mind though that The Pamplemousse set early splits of :23 flat and :46 and change in his romp in the Sham on the last day in February.
There’s still a chance that runners like Chocolate Candy and Stardom Bound could draw into the Santa Anita Derby, making it infinitely more interesting than the current 2-horse-race. I expect Bob Baffert will have Pioneer of the Nile ready for a big effort in April. It’s just that he’ll need his absolute best to get past The Pamplemousse. However, you know what they say. They all put their horseshoes on one hoof at a time. A lesson we would be subjected to in Arkansas before the day was through.
I caught the stretch run on the TVG replay! I think the lack of pace hurt him a bit. It was slow, and since he comes from behind it was kind of a strange setup for him this time. Seems he does what he has to in order to just get the win, just like in his other races. Does not win by big margins. He looked amazing though.
The way he guts ‘em out, I’d almost swear he was a Tiznow. Fine horse. I’d like to see him and The Pamlemousse come east and run big this May.
Where it is possible to buy the,