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'You Will Take A Picture Today': Martin Garcia Wins American Pharoah Aboard Citizen Bull
After being the beaten favorite in last month’s Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, Citizen Bull rebounded in a big way Saturday with a front-running victory under Martin Garcia in the G1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
With the win, Citizen Bull earns an automatic berth into the G1, $2-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The Into Mischief colt, purchased for $675,000 as a yearling, is trained by Bob Baffert and owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and partners.
“I feel fortunate and blessed to have the clientele that I have,” Baffert said from the Winner’s Circle. “Without that you can’t win these things. This is why we buy these colts, to try to win on these big days. I’m happy we have one, maybe a couple. It was great to see that.”
Citizen Bull (3-1) was joined in the American Pharoah lineup by stablemates Getaway Car, the 6-5 favorite, and Emerald Bay (7-1). In the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity Sept 8, Getaway Car sped to the early lead and Citizen Bull raced off the pace. That race ended with Getaway Car fading to fourth and Citizen Bull rallying for third.
In the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah, Citizen Bull and Garcia went to the lead with Getaway Car prompting to his outside. Citizen Bull went the opening quarter mile in 23.85 seconds, then posted fractions of :47.78 for a half-mile and 1:12.43 for six furlongs.
Del Mar Futurity runner-up McKinzie Street, the morning line favorite who went off the 9-5 second choice, tracked the two Baffert rivals in a bunched-up field while saving ground under Kazushi Kimura.
Near the quarter pole, Juan Hernandez on Getaway Car asked his mount to get to Citizen Bull but he was unable to do so. Citizen Bull maintained his advantage to the wire, scoring comfortably by two lengths over Getaway Car. McKinzie Street was another 5 ¾ lengths back in the third.
Citizen Bull won in a final time of 1:44.30.
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“Mr. Bob told me early that this horse was doing really good,” Garcia said. “He just told me, ‘Let him run how he wants to run and then you will take a picture today.’ And that’s exactly how it came out.”
Citizen Bull, the 3-1 third choice, paid $8.60, $3.60 and $2.40. Getaway Car returned $3.00 and $2.20. McKinzie Street, trained by Tim Yakteen, paid $2.20.
"At Del Mar, he really needed that race,” Baffert said. “Mike (Smith) rode him and the colt was heavy. He’s still heavy. This track is very demanding. It is very deep and slow. You could tell he was getting tired at the end, so I think he will get so much out of this race.”
Prior to the Del Mar Futurity, Citizen Bull won his debut going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 17.
“He broke really good and at the six furlongs he was kind of a little keen.” said Garcia, “Right after he dropped the bridle and he was just really comfortable there at the half mile, I was loaded. I said, ‘I don’t know if anyone can beat me.’ He just kept going.”
For Garcia, this was his first graded stakes win in California since the 2020 G2 Great Lady M Stakes on Sneaking Out for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Garcia flew in from Kentucky Saturday morning to ride both Citizen Bull for Baffert and Nooni, who finished second in the G2 Oak Leaf.
On Sunday, Garcia will be in Chicago to ride European import T’Challa in the Hawthorne Derby for trainer Neil Drysdale.
This was Baffert's record-extending 13th win in the American Pharoah, a race that was previously run as the Frontrunner Stakes from 2012-17 and Norfolk Stakes from 1970 to 2011.
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