Frankie Dettori adds to massive day with an upset win aboard Nothing Like You in the Santa Anita Oaks (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
International Star Jockey Scores Six Straight Wins on Santa Anita Derby Day Including SA Oaks With Nothing Like You
The Past the Wire annual Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby seminar, the best in the game DETAILS HERE
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— International star jockey Frankie Dettori won his fifth-consecutive race at Santa Anita Saturday when guiding Nothing Like You to a dominant victory in the GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks going 1 1/16 miles.
Dispatched at 7-1 in a five-horse field, Dettori and Nothing Like You saved ground while stalking the pace, surged through along the rail at the top of the stretch and then drew off to win by 7 ½ lengths. Left in their wake was previously undefeated stablemate Kinza, the 1-2 favorite, who set the pace under Juan Hernandez but proved no match in the stretch.
Nothing Like You is trained by Bob Baffert, who won his fourth Santa Anita Oaks. Last year, Baffert won with Faiza. Kinza, also trained by Baffert, held on for second by a half-length over a rallying Corposo (12-1). Kopion, the 2-1 second choice with Mike Smith up, was another eight lengths back in fourth.
“We were lucky enough to have a decent break and got in a good position, where I wasn’t getting any of the kick back,” Dettori said from the Winner’s Circle.” I was fully loaded at the quarter pole. I just needed a little bit of room, and she took off. What can you say about Baffert? He’s a genius. We have a good working relationship. He trains them and I ride them.”
Ifuaintifrsturlast, a 35-1 longshot for trainer Val Brinkerhoff, was eased across the wire by jockey Tyler Baze. Earlier on the day at Aqueduct, another Brinkerhoff 3-year-old filly, Santa Anita-based Where’s My Ring, won the GIII Gazelle at Aqueduct to earn a berth in next month’s Kentucky Oaks.
“(Kinza) ran good, but she got a bit of pressure today. She never really settled down as she has in the past. She was hot in the post parade, but she looked like she wanted to run. She ran a good second. A good filly beat me. I just think the pressure early in the race got to her,” offered jockey Juan Hernandez.
Kinza, a perfect 3-for-3 entering Saturday, set fractions of 23.42, 46.88 and 1:10.72 for six furlongs with Kopion lapped to her outside. Nothing Like You found racing room on the rail and blew past the pair, reached the furlong marker in 1:36.64 and then cruised under the wire to win in a final time of 1:43.21 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track.
“Without the horse, the jockey doesn’t matter, but Dettori kept this filly as clean as possible. I was disappointed in Nothing Like You the last time out because she just didn’t bring it,” Baffert said
“Today, my other filly, Kinza, got really worked up going into the gates. They were pressuring her, and I knew that was going to happen. She just got tired.
“Nothing Like You was just sitting behind there. Unfortunately, when you use Dettori, you can’t blame it on the jockey. He’s just a phenom. He is world-class and has brought his talent to every stage. He’s just that good, but you have to give him the horse. And he had the horse to do it,” Baffert remarked.
This was Dettori’s second stakes win of the day. In the fifth race, the $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, he piloted Roberta’s Love to 9-1 upset victory for trainer Hector Palma.
For Nothing Like You, this was her fourth win seven starts for owners Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John L. Rogitz. The daughter of Malibu Moon now has three stakes wins and $423,160 in earnings. Most recently, Nothing Like You faced Kinza and Kopion in the GIII Las Virgenes March 10 at Santa Anita and proved no match for that pair. She finished fourth, 12 ¾ lengths back of winner Kinza. Kopion was second by two lengths. Her prior stakes scores came in the GII Starlet at Los Alamitos Dec. 9 and the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz at Del Mar Nov. 18.
Nothing Like You paid $16.40, $3.80 and $3.60. Kinza returned $2.20 and $2.10. Corposo, who was ridden by Diego Herrera for trainer Peter Eurton, paid $4.00 to show.
Update: After his victory in the Santa Anita Oaks, Dettori came right back in Race 7, an Allowance Optional Claimer, and won aboard Apple Tree Stud’s Royal Charter (GB) for trainer Leonard Powell.
