Life Is Good Follows Authentic Path Into Sham Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Life Is Good romps by 9 1/2 lengths in his debut at Del Mar
This past January, a Bob Baffert-trained son of Into Mischief improved to 2-for-2 in the Sham Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, the first of five victories from the 3-year-old. That Sham winner was Authentic , the eventual victor in both the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
A year later, the Hall of Fame trainer is back in the $100,000 Sham Stakes Jan. 2 with another Into Mischief colt—Life Is Good, who won a maiden race at Del Mar so decisively Nov. 22 that he became the betting favorite among individual entries, at 5-1 odds, in the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
The China Horse Club and WinStar Farm-owned colt is expected to be the odds-on choice in the one-mile Sham against another Baffert-trained first-out maiden winner, Medina Spirit, and a trio of other newly turned 3-year-olds.
The one-mile Sham will be the first test of Life Is Good's staying power after a 6 1/2-furlong debut in which he set fast fractions and drew off by 9 1/2 lengths under Mike Smith.
What a debut performance by Life Is Good! Hear reactions from @mikeesmith10 who takes us through his trip & hear about the special saddle that was used for today's race that belonged to Trainer Bob Baffert! pic.twitter.com/m88Yc6Io1P
— TVG (@TVG) November 22, 2020
A rating experiment in a Dec. 19 breeze at Santa Anita didn't work out as planned for Life Is Good, resulting in him being outfinished by another horse, but a follow-up Dec. 27 breeze, in which he was allowed to run freely on his own, led to a sparkling time. The $525,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase zipped six furlongs in 1:10 3/5.
"He's very aggressive. I think a lot of Into Mischiefs are that way, too. They're just fast horses," said Baffert, a six-time Sham winner. "Speed is your weapon."
Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit didn't score by as large of a margin in his lone race, winning by three lengths at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 11, but he has been ratable in his breezes leading into the Sham. He powered past a workmate in a five-furlong workout in 1:02 at Santa Anita Dec. 27.
"He's a nice horse. The two turns should really suit him," Baffert said.
A $35,000 purchase by bloodstock agent Gary Young for his owner from the Ocala Breeders' Sales 2020 July 2-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age sale, Medina Spirit is by first-crop stallion Protonico , a four-time stakes winner in routes.
The Sham also drew Parnelli, Waspirant, and Uncle Boogie.
Parnelli and Waspirant, both trained by John Shirreffs, have won two-turn maiden races at a mile with the latter subsequently finishing fourth in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Sept. 26.
Former maiden claimer Uncle Boogie stretches out a furlong in distance after finishing a well-beaten second in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.
C R K Stable's Parnelli appears the leading threat to the Baffert duo, having been competitive in losing efforts against graded stakes-quality juveniles Spielberg and Hot Rod Charlie in races in the fall. Following those races, he defeated maidens by 5 3/4 lengths at Del Mar Nov. 28 in his fourth start.
Medina Spirit and Waspirant race with blinkers off.
Named in honor of the winner of the 1973 Santa Anita Derby (G1), the Sham provides Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to its top four finishers. The race will be run without horses being treated with the diuretic Lasix.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 02, 2021, Race 8Entries: Sham S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Medina Spirit (FL)
Abel Cedillo
120
Bob Baffert
6/1
2
2Waspirant (KY)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
120
John A. Shirreffs
15/1
3
3Parnelli (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
120
John A. Shirreffs
5/2
4
4Uncle Boogie (FL)
Flavien Prat
120
Andrew Lerner
12/1
5
5Life Is Good (KY)
Mike E. Smith
120
Bob Baffert
2/5
