Santa Anita: Baffert’s Mr Fisk, 4-for-4 Medoro win graded stakes

Mr Fisk used a last-to-first rally under Kazushi Kimura to take down the Grade 3, $100,000 Californian Stakes going 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Santa Anita. Mr Fisk (7-2) drew even with pacesetting favorite (1-5) Judge Miller near the quarter pole and then drew from that rival in the stretch to score comfortably by 2 1/4 lengths.

Judge Miller, who was making his stakes debut under Hall of Famer Mike Smith, held on for second by a half-length over Mixto (4-1).

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Trained by Bob Baffert, Mr Fisk won with a final time of 1:49.41. He returned $9.20 and $2.80. Judge Miller paid $2.10. There was no show wagering following the scratch of Mystification.

For Kimura, 23, a native of Japan, it was his third win on Saturday’s card. He also finished first in the third race on Normandy Landing ($5.80) for Baffert and the fourth with Travelin’ Show ($19) for trainer Craig Lewis.

“He was very comfortable behind horses,” Kimura said of Mr Fisk. “At the half-mile pole it seemed like the time to go. When I have that good of a horse from Bob Baffert, I have the confidence that I will have a comfortable ride.”

Judge Miller, trained by Mark Glatt, set comfortable fractions of 24.67, 48.75 and 1:12.78 for six furlongs. Despite being last of four, Mr Fisk was never farther than two lengths in back of the leader before launching his winning bid.

“He is getting better,” Baffert said. “I have a great team, and we’ve been schooling him. He’s tough. He can be really tough and aggressive.”

A 4-year-old colt by Arrogate, Mr Fisk earned $60,000 for the victory. He has banked $249,700 with a record of 10: 4-2-0 for owner-breeder Sunny Brook Stable.

Last year Mr Fisk won the one-mile Shared Belief Stakes and 1 1/8-mile Native Diver (G3), both at Del Mar. In his only previous start this year on Jan. 27, he was a no-threat fifth in the San Pasqual (G2) at 1 1/16 miles.

Next up for Mr Fisk is likely to be the $200,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) on May 27.

“The owners they let me freshen him up and get him right for this race,” Baffert said. “We are looking down the road at the Gold Cup at a mile-and-a-quarter. Being by Arrogate he is bred for this.”

Now 4-for-4, Medoro narrowly wins Providencia

Medoro improved to 4-for-4 in her young career with another narrow victory, this time in the Providencia Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

With Antonio Fresu aboard, Medoro (1-5) settled just behind pacesetter Shiloh’s Mistress after the opening quarter-mile, and it remained that way through fractions of 24.10, 48.77 and 1:13.51 through six furlongs. Medoro cut into Shiloh’s Mistress on the second turn, put a nose in front at the top of the stretch and then outdueled that stubborn rival to the wire to prevail in a photo finish.

“I really like this filly. She’s very tough,” Fresu said. “Today wasn’t an easy spot, because she was going a little longer, and there was not much speed in the race. I was just trying to get her relaxed and get her into a nice position.

“I was just waiting for the turn to home to ask her to go. She did it, but then she kind of wanted to stay with some company. The other horse was coming to me, and she kept fighting to the end. She is just a goodfilly and she wants to win.”

Trained by Peter Eurton, Medoro’s winning time was 1:48.95 on firm turf. Shiloh’s Mistress, a maiden winner on synthetic at Turfway Park for trainer Michael McCarthy, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Circle of Trust. Pink Whitney was another 2 1/2 lengths back in fourth to complete the superfecta.

This was the third win via photo finish by Medoro, a 3-year-old filly by Honor Code who has earned $216,600 for C R K Stable. She won her debut by a head going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 1 and returned to win the one-mile Blue Norther on turf by a neck Dec. 29 at Santa Anita. Most recently, Medoro made things a little more comfortable when taking the one-mile China Doll on turf by 2 1/4 lengths March 10 at Santa Anita.

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal going a little further, because she’s always been a really relaxed sort,” Eurton said.  “But in the paddock she was a little on today. That concerned me, and the no pace in the race, I didn’t know how it would play out. It worked out, but it wasn’t easy.

Medoro paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Shiloh’s Mistress, trained by McCarthy for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, returned $3.20 and $2.10. Circle of Trust, ridden by Kimura for trainer Phil D’Amato, paid $2.10 to show as the 5-1 second choice.