Outlasts Odds-On Favorite Full Serrano. (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—Nevada Beach, a lightly raced 3-year-old making his graded stakes debut for trainer Bob Baffert, prevailed over odds-on favorite Full Serrano after a lengthy duel to win Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Goodwood Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita Saturday. With the win, Nevada Beach earns a fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
“This one is really special because sometimes you have them over a barrel,” Baffert said from the Winner’s Circle. “I really appreciate a win like this when it’s not expected.”
Full Serrano, breaking from the outside post, went to the front under Juan Hernandez and soon found company from Nevada Beach’s stablemate Privman (14-1). After an opening quarter in 23.58, Full Serrano shook off that rival on the first turn. He then caught bit of a breather down the backstretch, completing a half mile in 47.86, but then found Nevada Beach at his throat latch entering the second turn. It would be a two-horse race from there.
Nevada Beach, on the outside of Full Serrano, took a half-length lead to the eighth pole and then edged clear to win by 1 ½ lengths.
“They were running hard. Turning for home I thought, ‘Well, this is when you find out what you are really made of,” Baffert said. “He dug in and Mike Smith rode a beautiful race.”
Added Smith: “Bob told me that he will go every bit of the mile and eighth so to do what I needed to do. I was brave enough to go ahead and push at the end there and the horse responded great.”
Full Serrano, who was ridden by Juan Hernandez, finished 3 ¼ length clear of third-place finisher Privman.
“My horse is a really nice horse, and he really tried his best,” Hernandez said. “He was traveling comfortably, and he picked it up when I asked him. He tried to come back when the other horse came up on the outside. We just fell short.”
First Mission, the 2-1 second choice who shipped in from Kentucky for trainer Brad Cox, was never a factor and checked in fourth.
Nevada Beach is a colt by Omaha Beach out of the Yes It’s True mare Morrow Cove. He was purchased by owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman for $260,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale. Nevada Beach won his debut going a mile in April at Santa Anita, finished second behind stablemate Gaming in the Affirmed Stakes on June 2 at Santa Anita, then won the Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on June 28. With the Goodwood win he increased his total earnings to $296,500.
Nevada Beach paid $19.00, $4.40 and $3.00. Full Serrano, trained by John Sadler, returned $2.40 and $2.10. Privman, with Antonio Fresu up, paid $4.20.
MIKE SMITH, Winning Jockey: “I mean today was a good day. Nevada Beach traveled beautifully. There were different strategies going into this race and Bob told me that he will go every bit of the mile and eighth so to do what I needed to do. I was brave enough to go ahead and push at the end there and the horse responded great.”
JUAN HERNANDEZ, Full Serrano, Second: “My horse is a really nice horse, and he really tried his best. He was traveling very comfortably, and he picked it up when I asked him. He tried to come back when the other horse (Nevada Beach) came up on the outside. We just fell short.”
BOB BAFFERT, Winning Trainer: “It is like getting the band back together again. We have always been really high on this horse, we had just little setbacks. Today he showed what he is made of. Going into it, I knew he was going against Full Serrano, and I have a lot of respect for him. They were running hard. Turning for home I thought, ‘Well, this is when you find out what you are really made of.’ He dug in and Mike Smith rode a beautiful race. I have a great team that helps me get them ready. This one is really special because sometimes you have them over the barrel, but it is exciting. I really appreciate a win like this when you don’t expect them.
“I have the best riders; they just work hard, and it pays off. I do have the clientele that goes and finds these horses. Mike rode Omaha Beach (sire) and I really like Omaha Beach I think he is going to be a really good sire; we just feel happy.”
