Defunded gives Baffert record 9th win in Hollywood Gold Cup
Having long since eclipsed legendary Charlie Whittingham as Santa Anita’s career leader in stakes victories, Bob Baffert surpassed the Bald Eagle on Memorial Day at Santa Anita as the winningest trainer in the 85-year history of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup, ringing up his ninth career victory in the iconic test.
Defunded broke sharply, and Juan Hernandez was able to control proceedings throughout and kept a tenacious Piroli and Kent Desormeaux at bay the length of the stretch, prevailing by a half-length and getting the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.85.
Although he hopped at the break and then rallied for a three-length score in the Californian Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 22, Defunded was large and in charge in the $400,000 race Monday. He registered his second Grade 1 win and his fourth graded-stakes victory in a 17: 7-4-2 career.
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“Today he was very professional,” said Hernandez, who for the first time in his career got his second Grade 1 winner in one day. He also took the Shoemaker Mile aboard Exaulted. “He was pulling on the backside, which is a really good sign. I waited until the last quarter (mile), and he switched leads and gave me two good jumps toward the wire.
“He really didn’t get tired. In the Santa Anita Handicap (G1, finishing a close third), they put pressure on us, and the fractions were faster. It was a different story today. Piroli is a nice horse. I’ve ridden him before. He likes to go outside, but I had a lot of confidence in my horse for the final push to the wire.”
Off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of six 3-year-olds and up, Defunded, a 5-year-old gelding by Dialed In, paid $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10.
“I would have liked to have seen (fourth-place stablemate) Country Grammer second and run one-two, but Defunded is a tough horse,” said Baffert, who won his first Gold Cup with part-owner Mike Pegram’s Real Quiet in 1999. “This horse today, he got the lead, and he wasn’t going to let anybody pass him. He is just improving and getting better. I was happy to see him get the mile-and-a-quarter.”
Owned by Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman and out of the Touch Gold mare Wind Caper, Defunded picked up $240,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $1,588,100.
Ridden for the first time by Desormeaux for trainer Michael McCarthy, Piroli, who dogged the winner around the far turn and into deep stretch, ran a huge race in his first stakes engagement. Off at 28-1, he paid $10.40 and $6.80 after finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front of Kiss Today Goodbye.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, Kiss Today Goodbye was off at 37-1 and paid $8.20 after finishing a half-length in front of 2-1 second choice Country Grammer.
The fractions, all set by Defunded, were 23.89, 47.59, 1:11.83 and 1:36.27.
Hollywood Park hosted the Hollywood Gold Cup from Seabiscuit’s inaugural win in 1937 until the track closed in 2013. Monday marked the race’s 10th running at Santa Anita.