Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Essential Quality closed at 5-1 in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. (Photo credit: Wendy Wooley/Breeders’ Cup/Eclipse Sportswire/CSM)
The Bob Baffert trained Life Is Good rolled to an easy win in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita on Saturday and was hammered late in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, closing at 2-1.
The colt took the field gate to wire, drawing clear to win by eight lengths and earned a career best 107 Beyer Speed Figure. He picked up 50 points, moving him up to second in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points race with 60. Greatest Honour also has 60 points but has earned more in stakes purses.
“He’s learning to settle. He’s maturing and getting smarter, winning jockey Mike Smith said after the race. “Early on, he was so used to exploding from the pole or the gate. He’s learning how to run now which is the big key, and he’s learning how to get into a rhythm. We are going to have to work on some little quirks. He starts looking at things because he is out there by himself, but I can’t take so much of a hold of him to give him company either, so it’s a catch-22.”
The colt closed at 7-1 in Pool 2 and 3, and at 5-1 in Pool 1 on Nov. 30. With one more start coming and a likely field of 20 lining up on the first Saturday of May, the 2-1 morning line appears to be quite an underlay.
The colt is currently listed at 4-1 at BUSR in early Kentucky Derby wagering. Next up for the colt likely is the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 3.
Life Is Good Wins San Felipe
Essential Quality closed as the 5-1 second choice in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The Brad Cox trainee is perfect in four starts, winning the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 27 in his three-year-old debut. He earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure in that victory.
The colt won all three of his starts last year, capping off the year by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland.
It looks as if the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland will be his final prep for the Run for the Roses.
“I’d have to say either the Blue Grass or the Arkansas Derby,” Cox said after his Southwest score. “That’s about the only thing, really, that makes sense. If something happens as far as weather goes, I guess you could probably look at the Florida Derby. But in this region of the country, I think the most logical spot would be the Arkansas Derby or the Blue Grass.”
Helium won the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on Saturday, returning $32.80 and picking up 50 Derby points. The colt was part of the field in Pool 4 which closed at 7-1.
Weyburn pulled off the huge upset in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct returning his backers $95.50. The James Jerkens trainee was also part of the field or “All other three-year-olds” in Pool 4.
There is one Road to the Kentucky Derby points race on tap this weekend. The $1 million Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park will offer up 50-20-10-5 Derby points.
Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager
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Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4
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| No. | Horse (Trainer) | Pool 4 Odds | $2 Win Will Pay |
| 1. | Caddo River (Brad Cox) | 16-1 | $35.00 |
| 2. | Candy Man Rocket (Bill Mott) | 71-1 | $145.00 |
| 3. | Collaborate (Saffie Joseph Jr.) | 29-1 | $61.60 |
| 4. | Concert Tour (Bob Baffert) | 17-1 | $37.60 |
| 5. | Dream Shake (Peter Eurton) | 71-1 | $145.40 |
| 6. | Essential Quality (Brad Cox) | 5-1 | $13.80 |
| 7. | Freedom Fighter (Bob Baffert) | 84-1 | $171.20 |
| 8. | Greatest Honour (Shug McGaughey) | 6-1 | $15.60 |
| 9. | Highly Motivated (Chad Brown) | 36-1 | $75.40 |
| 10. | Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O’Neill) | 53-1 | $108 |
| 11. | Hush of a Storm (Bill Morey) | 146-1 | $295 |
| 12. | Keepmeinmind (Robertino Diodoro) | 30-1 | $62.40 |
| 13. | Life Is Good (Bob Baffert) | 2-1 | $6.00 |
| 14. | Mandaloun (Brad Cox) | 17-1 | $36.20 |
| 15. | Medina Spirit (Bob Baffert) | 39-1 | $81.00 |
| 16. | Midnight Bourbon (Steve Asmussen) | 52-1 | $107.20 |
| 17. | Prevalence (Brendan Walsh) | 29-1 | $61.00 |
| 18. | Proxy (Mike Stidham) | 41-1 | $85.80 |
| 19. | Risk Taking (Chad Brown) | 42-1 | $86.80 |
| 20. | Roman Centurian (Simon Callaghan) | 94-1 | $191.00 |
| 21. | Rombauer (Michael McCarthy) | 109-1 | $220.80 |
| 22. | Spielberg (Bob Baffert) | 63-1 | $128.40 |
| 23. | The Great One (Doug O’Neill) | 79-1 | $160.00 |
| 24. | All Other three-year-olds | 7-1 | $16.00 |
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Kentucky Oaks Future Wager
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| No. | Horse (Trainer) | Odds | $2 Win Will Pays |
| 1. | Bow Bow Girl (Dale Romans) | 56-1 | $115.00 |
| 2. | Clairiere (Steve Asmussen) | 7-2 | $9.80 |
| 3. | Coach (Brad Cox) | 67-1 | $137.80 |
| 4. | Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek) | 39-1 | $80.40 |
| 5. | Dayoutoftheoffice (Tim Hamm) | 22-1 | $47.20 |
| 6. | Kalypso (Bob Baffert) | 23-1 | $48.60 |
| 7. | Lady Mystify (Peter Eurton) | 63-1 | $129.60 |
| 8. | Li’l Tootsie (Tom Amoss) | 35-1 | $72.20 |
| 9. | Malathaat (Todd Pletcher) | 7-1 | $17.80 |
| 10. | Moraz (Michael McCarthy) | 47-1 | $96.00 |
| 11. | Obligatory (Bill Mott) | 40-1 | $82.20 |
| 12. | Pass the Champagne (George Weaver) | 20-1 | $43.00 |
| 13. | Pauline’s Pearl (Steve Asmussen) | 28-1 | $59.60 |
| 14. | Search Results (Chad Brown) | 31-1 | $65.40 |
| 15. | Simply Ravishing (Kenny McPeek) | 15-1 | $33.00 |
| 16. | Souper Sensational (Mark Casse) | 110-1 | $223.60 |
| 17. | Sun Path (Brad Cox) | 55-1 | $112.80 |
| 18. | Travel Column (Brad Cox) | 6-1 | $14.40 |
| 19. | Vequist (Butch Reid Jr.) | 19-1 | $41.80 |
| 20. | Wholebodemeister (Juan Carlos Avila) | 28-1 | $59.00 |
| 21. | Will’s Secret (Dallas Stewart) | 14-1 | $31.00 |
| 22. | Willful Woman (Steve Asmussen) | 103-1 | $209.20 |
| 23. | Zaajel (Todd Pletcher) | 28-1 | $59.00 |
| 24. | All Other three-year-olds | 5-1 | $13.40 |
