Game Winner Stretches Out in American Pharoah Stakes

Even before Game Winner's 1 1/2-length victory in the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) Sept. 3, trainer Bob Baffert felt the 2-year-old Candy Ride  colt would be better around two turns.

If the Gary and Mary West-owned runner is better at longer distances and takes a step forward in the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) Sept. 29, the bay colt might be something truly special.

"This is where they start separating themselves," Baffert said of the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah, which was renamed for the 2015 Triple Crown winner for this season and was previously known as the FrontRunner Stakes and Norfolk Stakes. "I think he'll be much better with distance. (Jockey Joel) Rosario said it (after he broke his maiden by 5 3/4 lengths Aug. 18 at Del Mar), and (Mario) Gutierrez said it (after the Del Mar Futurity)—he'll be better going long.

"But we're all in the same boat. We're all going long, and Gunmetal Gray is the only one who has won."

West Point Thoroughbreds and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's Gunmetal Gray has that edge over his four rivals in the American Pharoah, as the only winner of a two-turn race.

The Exchange Rate colt broke his maiden Aug. 22 going a mile at Del Mar and bested fellow American Pharoah entrant Jefe by 6 3/4 lengths.

Hollendorfer also has Del Mar Futurity pacesetter and runner-up Rowayton in the American Pharoah, but the Into Mischief  colt will have a different jockey than his first two starts. Drayden Van Dyke piloted Rowayton in his maiden-breaking win July 21 at Del Mar and in the Futurity, but owner Larry Best of OXO Equine was not happy with the tactics employed in the Futurity, when the colt sped to a 4 1/2-length lead through a half-mile in :45.35. Florent Geroux will ride Rowayton in the American Pharoah, and Van Dyke will also be replaced aboard Gunmetal Gray by Flavien Prat.

"Rowayton should have won the race, but it was poorly run," Best said. "And Rowayton is a two-turn horse, not a sprinter."

The final entrant in the field is Hronis Racing's Sigalert, who finished fourth, 10 1/4 lengths behind Game Winner, in the Del Mar Futurity. The Street Sense  colt broke his maiden by a half-length going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 4 at Del Mar.

Baffert also considered entering Michael Lund Petersen's Tale of the Union, a Union Rags  colt who won his 5 1/2-furlong debut by eight lengths Aug. 26 at Del Mar, but decided against it.

Entries: American Pharoah S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 29, 2018, Race 6

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 2 yo
• 2:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Rowayton (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Jerry Hollendorfer	5/2
2	2Gunmetal Gray (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	Jerry Hollendorfer	9/5
3	3Jefe (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	122	J. Keith Desormeaux	8/1
4	4Game Winner (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Bob Baffert	6/5
5	5Sigalert (NY)	Tyler Baze	122	John W. Sadler	15/1