Second-time starter Taiba pulls off shocker with Santa Anita Derby win

Coach Tim Yakteen was in a troublesome spot, changing a Corridor of Fame coach to qualify a few of his horses for the Kentucky Derby. If he does it, the credit score will probably be given to earlier coach Bob Baffert. If he doesn’t, it is going to be his fault.

What occurred Saturday within the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby only a few noticed coming, leaving even Yakteen in an excellent state of disbelief. Taiba, making simply his second begin, got here sturdy on the surface and swept previous stablemate Messier to win by 2¼ lengths as each horses certified for the Kentucky Derby.

On this case, a brand new betting technique was born, the “different Yakteen.”

After the race, all the eye was on what the horse achieved quite than the one that skilled him.

Yakteen didn’t wish to enter Taiba, a $1.7-million buy, on this race due to his inexperience. He was overruled by proprietor Amr Zedan, who additionally owned Medina Spirit and two weeks in the past gained the $12-million Dubai World Cup with Nation Grammer.

“Amr made it very clear, he overruled me and overruled [bloodstock agent] Gary Younger,” Yakteen mentioned. “We instructed him the challenges which may happen by doing one thing like this. However he had all the arrogance on the planet on this horse and needed to provide the Derby one other go. That’s what he’s within the recreation for and he took the gamble. It was an enormous gamble and the horse paid off.”

The race was presupposed to be a showdown between Messier, winner of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes by 15 lengths, and Forbidden Kingdom, winner of the San Felipe Stakes by 5¾. And it began out that means with Forbidden Kingdom going to the lead and Messier establishing simply on the surface of him. Coming into the far flip, Messier began to shut the hole and by the center of the flip had pulled even.

It then turned clear that Forbidden Kingdom, the even cash favourite, was having bother negotiating the 1-1/8-mile distance and he pale out of rivalry. Expectations had been that Messier would cruise to the wire, however Taiba proved greater than adequate and simply stored gaining and handed him within the remaining strides.

“It’s arduous to verbalize what he simply achieved,” Yakteen mentioned. “You don’t see it at his stage except you’re exceptionally, exceptionally gifted. Messier ran completely lights out. In order that was a powerful horse to collar in your second begin at a mile-and-an-eighth with solely a [six-furlong] race beneath your belt.”

Taiba paid $10.60, $3.60 and $3.20. Messier was second adopted, 10 lengths again, by Completely satisfied Jack, Armagnac, Win The Day and Forbidden Kingdom.

Zedan additionally made the choice to have Mike Smith, the Corridor of Famer who rode Justify to a Triple Crown, as Tabia’s jockey.

“When one comes alongside like that, he confirmed he was actually good,” Smith mentioned. “He confirmed how particular he’s. He belongs with anybody. He simply recovers rather well. I’m not getting any youthful and as I become old, I’ve felt that one thing good was going to occur. This simply could result in that. The sky’s the restrict.”

Saturday was the ultimate weekend of the main qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby. Mo Donegal gained the Wooden Memorial in New York and Zandon gained the Blue Grass Stakes in Kentucky.

Taiba earned 100 factors and Messier picked up 40 factors. The present cutoff for the beginning gate at Churchill Downs is 40 factors with the tiebreaker going to graded stakes earnings, which permits Messier to simply qualify. There is just one qualifying race, the Lexington Stakes subsequent Saturday at Keeneland, however is it price solely a most of 20 factors. Forbidden Kingdom, primarily based on successful the San Felipe Stakes in March, has sufficient qualifying factors, however it’s unclear if coach Richard Mandella would wish to enter him within the longer Kentucky Derby.

Yakteen picked up a couple of of Baffert’s greatest 3-year-olds after the Corridor of Fame coach was banned from gaining Kentucky Derby qualifying factors as a result of Medina Spirit examined constructive for an anti-inflammatory banned on race day after successful final yr’s Kentucky Derby. Baffert started a 90-day suspension ordered by the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee and honored by all different states.

Yakteen, a former assistant for Baffert, has had the horses about two weeks.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Yakteen mentioned. “It’s taken a bit to carry all of it in. [But Saturday] is a reasonably thrilling second. I’m making an attempt to take all of it in. Overwhelmed is an understatement.”

Now issues escalate for Yakteen with two Kentucky Derby starters.