Derby News

Photo By: Benoit

Bob and John makes short work of the Sham Stakes field

ARCADIA, CALIF. (February 4, 2006) - Bob and John put himself squarely amidst the top three-year-olds on the west coast with a convincing win in the Grade Three Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Bob and John broke alertly and was content to take back off the pacesetter, Hawkinsville, and track the leader down the backstretch until he was asked to pick up the pace midway on the turn for home. Bob and John drew even with Hawkinsville approaching the quarter pole and opened up a 4½ length lead in mid-stretch under right handed urging by rider Victor Espinoza. The winning margin remained at 4½ lengths, and the $61,500 winner's share of the purse brought Bob and John's career earnings to $200,070 in 7 starts. Hawkinsville held on gamely to be second with Sacred light another 1½ lengths back in third.

Bob and John's trainer, Bob Baffert, was certainly not surprised by his horse's performance. Baffert stated, "I am obviously happy with the race and it was certainly no surprise to anyone. I just wanted to get a race in him before he had to take on some of the bigger names later in the year."

The bigger names Baffert is referring to are Brother Derek and Stevie Wonderboy, the top two finishers of the San Rafael (GII), run on January 14.

Granted there were none of the top names in the Sham's first year as a graded stake, but Bob and John's performance was good enough to signal that he is a force to be respected in future three-year-old Kentucky Derby prep races on the west coast. The early fractions were 24 2/5, 48 4/5, 112, 136 2/5 with the final running time of 1:49 which is good for the distance for young sophomores still in the developing stage.

Bob and John paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Hawkinsville, ridden by Alex Solis, returned $3.00 and $2.10. Sacred Light, with Garret Gomez aboard, for trainer David Hofmans, paid $2.10 to show.

Genre was fourth in the field of five as the result of the late scratch of another Baffert trainee, Sky Diving.

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