By Alan Carasso
Sunny Brook Stables' Mr Fisk (Arrogate) hooked up with stablemate Reincarnate (Good Magic) entering the final furlong of Monday's GII Hollywood Gold Cup and pulled away from that rival to register his third graded victory from his last four starts.
Wathnan Racing's recent private purchase Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify) won the break and held the advantage passing the stands for the first time, but Juan Hernandez was equally positive aboard Reincarnate from the inside barrier and he sent the 4-year-old into the lead passing the winning post with a circuit of the Great Race Place to traverse. The well-backed Judge Miller (Curlin) took a sit out three deep, while Mr Fisk improved a spot into fourth rounding the clubhouse turn.
There was little change in the running order over the course of the next couple of furlongs, but Kazushi Kimura allowed Mr Fisk to slowly pinch ground at the fence and was poised to strike in behind the leading trio as they hit the far turn. Reincarnate held the call, and when Subsanador began to throw out some distress signals leaving the quarter pole, Kimura drove Mr Fisk through that opening and the battle was joined. The stablemates were in lock-step into the final furlong, but Mr Fisk did the better of the two in the deciding stages and proved a comfortable winner in the end. Mr Fisk was vanned off the track and taken to the barn area for evaluation after Kimura reported that the colt felt 'off' on the gallop-out.
“Kazushi Kimura said it was nothing major, but he says he just felt a little off, nothing obvious,” said trainer Bob Baffert, winning his 10th Gold Cup and 350th Santa Anita stakes race overall. “We are just being cautious. He was a little bit off so hopefully it's a foot or something. My horses ran great, both of them, one and two like that.”
“I knew they weren't going very fast, and he was in a good spot. Reincarnate when he gets a lead, he's tough. He showed up. I'm proud of them both. It's too bad we can't celebrate in the winner's circle, but the horse looks like he is going to be fine. That's the good news.”
Baffert offered an update on X later in the evening,” Mr Fisk is resting comfortably in his stall, ready for dinner. He has a condylar fracture and will have surgery [Tuesday]. His prognosis is excellent. Jockey Kazushi Kimura took great care of his horse.”
The dead-heat winner of last year's Shared Belief S. at Del Mar, Mr Fisk broke through at the graded level in the GIII Native Diver S. during the Bing Crosby meet in November. A wide-trip fifth in the GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 27, he bounced back to soundly defeat Judge Miller in the GIII Californian S. Apr. 20.
#5 MR FISK, a son of Arrogate, wins the $200,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) under @kazushi0096. Trainer Bob Baffert wins his fourth Gold Cup in five years.
Afterwards, Mr Fisk took a few awkward steps and is being evaluated by the track veterinarians. Watch @FanDuelTV for updates. pic.twitter.com/hURxaHy4Ls
— FanDuel Racing (Formerly TVG) (@FanDuel_Racing) May 28, 2024
Pedigree Notes:
Plein Air, a winner at listed level in Italy going 10 furlongs in heavy ground, was acquired by Sunny Brook Stables and won her U.S. debut for Baffert in the 12-furlong Astra S. in January 2018. Unplaced in three subsequent runs, she was retired in early 2019 and was among the second book of mares bred to Arrogate.
The mare is also responsible for the 3-year-old filly Bella Riva (Hard Spun); the juvenile colt Catch the Breeze (Maclean's Music), a $30,000 FTKOCT yearling who was entered in but withdrawn from last month's Goffs Breeze-Up Sale at Doncaster; and a yearling filly by Collected. Plein Air produced a colt by Omaha Beach May 18.
Monday, Santa Anita
HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP S.-GII, $201,000, Santa Anita, 5-27, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:03.01, ft.
1–MR FISK, 124, c, 4, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Plein Air (Ire) (SW-USA & Ity, $163,617), by Manduro (Ger)
2nd Dam: Too In Love (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Anita Via (Ire), by Anita's Prince (Ire)
O/B-Sunny Brook Stables (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Kazushi Kimura. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 11-5-2-0, $369,700. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Reincarnate, 122, c, 4, Good Magic–Allanah, by Scat Daddy. ($775,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Masterson, Robert E., Stonestreet Stables LLC, Schoenfarber, Jay A., Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Woods Edge Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Judge Miller, 122, c, 4, Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini. ($550,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Muir Hut Stables, LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Mark Glatt. $24,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 3.00, 2.90.
Also Ran: Subsanador (Arg), Mixto, Arrowthegreat, Oviatt Class. Scratched: Ashcroft.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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