EASY GOER S., $150,000, BEL, 6-10, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.50, ft.
1–#WEST COAST, 117, c, 3, by Flatter
1st Dam: Caressing (Ch. 2yo filly & GISW, $955,998), by Honour and Glory
2nd Dam: Lovin Touch, by Majestic Prince
3rd Dam: Forest Princess, by Fleet Nasrullah
($425,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Gary & Mary West; B-CFP
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith.
$87,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $203,800. *1/2 to Juan and
Bina (Indian Charlie), GSP, $179,020.[bullet ad=”hermitage-foaledraised-sold”]2–You're to Blame, 115, c, 3, Distorted Humor–Bon Jovi Girl, by
Malibu Moon. ($400,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Woodford Racing,
LLC; B-Bryant H. Prentice (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000.[bullet ad=”denali-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”]3–Outplay, 117, c, 3, Bernardini–Miss Kate, by Storm Cat.
($70,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $275,000 2yo '16 OBSMAR).
O-Repole Stable; B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $15,000.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”]Margins: 3 3/4, 2, 7 1/4. Odds: 1.85, 3.10, 7.30.
Also Ran: Jamminwithbrandon, Tale of Silence, Wicked Macho, Local Hero, Lookin At Blessing, Sonic Mule. Scratched: Perro Rojo.
West Coast sat a perfect trip and ran away in the stretch to get the Saturday stakes action underway in the Easy Goer S. at Belmont. A winner at second asking Mar. 12 at Santa Anita, the $425,000 Keeneland September buy took a tough beat when caught in the final stride by GI Belmont S. entrant Senior Investment (Discreetly Mine) in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. Apr. 15 at Keeneland. Coming in off of a workmanlike allowance/optional claiming win back in Arcadia May 20, the bay was bet to favoritism here and got squeezed back some at the start before settling in sixth behind a sharp pace of :22.79 and :45.62. Advancing three-deep on the turn, West Coast swept to the lead easily at the top of the lane and quickly kicked clear en route to a convincing triumph. You're to Blame (Distorted Humor) finished full of run from last to get second money. The winner's dam, heroine of the 2000 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and that year's champion 2-year-old filly, foaled a Carpe Diem colt Feb. 18.
“We thought he'd run well,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “We were debating running in the Belmont [Stakes]. He didn't convince us yet, but he's figuring it out. He's really developing the right way. He's ready to take on the top races.”
Victorious pilot Mike Smith added, “He's a nice colt. It was my first time on him, and after the way he ran, I kind of wish they entered him in the Belmont. He loved this racetrack. He was squealing and playing, I thought 'man don't you know we have to run here?' But he just loved it.” Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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