Hudson Ridge Breaks His Maiden in Cinema Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Hudson Ridge wins the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita Park
American Pharoah 's stakes-winning weekend at Santa Anita Park continued May 23 when his son Hudson Ridge stepped up to stakes company as a maiden in the $98,500 Cinema Stakes and won his first race by 1 1/4 lengths.
A day earlier, his daughter As Time Goes By captured her second straight graded victory in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Cinema, for 3-year-olds, was run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
Bob Baffert trains both Hudson Ridge and As Time Boes By. Hudson Ridge has been campaigned by Double L Racing and Jill Baffert in his two most recent starts after beginning his career for the Coolmore connections of Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith, who are the owners of As Time Goes By.
"He's a horse that hadn't really shown us that much," Baffert said of Hudson Ridge after the Cinema, "but it's a big weekend for American Pharoah."
Hudson Ridge broke from the outermost post in the five-horse field. Jimmy Irish in post 3 bobbled leaving the gate, broke outward, and bumped Hubris hard. Hudson Ridge was forced out at the break before Jimmy Irish swerved toward the rail to set the pace. Opening fractions through six furlongs went in :23.49, :48.07, and 1:13.50.
Hudson Ridge sat behind the pace and took over the lead in the final stretch. He ran a mile in 1:37.66 before completing the nine furlongs on firm turf in 1:49.06. The bay returned $13.60 on a $2 win ticket.
"I got to give Abel's agent, Tom Knust, the credit for this one," said Baffert. "I nominated for the race, but I wasn't planning on running here and he said we should, that the horse had trouble last time and that he'd fit well with these horses. The break, I don't know what happened. It was crazy."
Hudson Ridge and jockey Abel Cedillo return after winning the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Cedillo was also aboard Hudson Ridge in the colt's last start May 1, a one-mile maiden special weight on the turf in which he finished second.
"Last time, I should have won the race, but in the stretch, I got in a little trouble," said Cedillo. "My agent told Bob there was a stake coming up and to let me ride him back. I think (the start) affected my horse a little because that took me a little wide, but thank God, I put him in a perfect position. I just followed the speed (Jimmy Irish) and in the stretch I had a lot of horse."
Sword Zorro rallied for second over Airman and Jimmy Irish faded to fourth. Hubris was second through the first quarter-mile but then was eased by jockey Flavien Prat, pulled up past the five-eighths pole, and vanned off, according to the race chart. There was no change after a stewards' inquiry involving the start.
Bred in Kentucky by Orpendale, Chelston, and Wynatt, Hudson Ridge is out of the group 3-placed Galileo mare Shell House and is the third winner from his dam's first three foals. Shell House also has an unnamed 2-year-old War Front colt, a yearling American Pharoah colt, and foaled a Justify colt March 8.
Hudson Ridge has earned $75,140 from five career starts, all this year.