February 2, 2025
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
Square Up
A choppy break out of the gate in Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) backed Burnham Square into a corner, but the 3-year-old gelding showed a flair for working off-script in an emphatic 1 ¾-length triumph.
After being parked at the back of the seven-horse pack in the early goings, rider Edgard Zayas moved Burnham Square to the rail. The in-game adjustment was a prudent one, indeed, as the pair snagged their second score as a team (both at Gulfstream Park).
Zayas has been nothing short of a boon for Burnham Square, who was 0-for-2 prior to their partnership.
A solid value at 4-1, Burnham Square paid $10.60.
He Shoots, He Scores
Make that three straight graded titles for Citizen Bull, who completed the hat trick with a dominant display in Saturday’s $200,000 Robert. B Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.
Leaving from post two in the five-horse affair, Citizen Bull, like Burnham Square, stumbled out of the gate. Also, like Burnham Square, Citizen Bull rallied back to beat his foes to the finish line.
The gate-to-wire victory was the Martin Garcia mount’s fourth through five career starts and pushed his lifetime earnings total above $1.4 million.
Citizen Bull, who captured October’s American Pharoah (G1) and November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to begin the win streak, paid a modest $3.80 as the 9-5 choice.
Field Day
In Friday’s edition of ‘What’s on Track,’ we posed the question: Baffert of the field? On Saturday, we got our answer.
Kopion, the only non-Bob Baffert trainee competing in the $200,000 Santa Monica (G2), reigned supreme over the Hall of Fame conditioner’s trio in a commanding 4 ½-length conquest.
The Santa Anita regular (site of five of six career starts) looked right at home in her first appearance since the La Brea (G1), which she stole at 37-1 on Dec. 26.
As the 6-5 favorite this time around, Kopion paid $4.40.
Your Word is ‘Record’
Just when it appeared he was out of the running, even-money favorite Running Bee came storming back to claim the $150,000 Tampa Bay (G3) in record fashion.
Under the tutelage of 2024 Eclipse Award winning jockey Flavien Prat, Running Bee worked diligently to carve out a favorable position without over-exerting himself.
The battery’s patience ended up paying dividends, as they were able to slide ahead of Northern Invader and Irish Aces by three-quarters-of-a-length to set a new track record of 1:38.85.
Running Bee’s historic performance at Tampa Bay Downs paid an even $4.
All in the Family
Keith and Steve Asmussen channeled their inner Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. to guide Benedetta to her second straight stakes score in this past Saturday’s $150,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park.
The father-son jockey-trainer duo concocted and executed a winning gameplan for the 4-year-old filly, who successfully outlasted 9-5 rival Fibber for the 1 ¼-length victory.
Benedetta is now in the midst of a four-race winning streak that started in September and also includes the Cheryl S. White Memorial Stakes on Nov. 25.
The strong stretch boosted the savvy veteran’s career slash line to 5-1-1 through nine starts.
As the 8-5 choice in the American Beauty, Benedetta paid $5.20.
