Out Of Bounds wins Derby prep at Santa Anita

Jockey Garrett Gomez turned 40 on New Year’s Day, which only means he’s getting wiser and better based on the way he has been riding at Santa Anita.

He has become the jockey to bet on in stakes races, winning his fourth in a row and sixth in nine days at Santa Anita on Saturday. Gomez guided 10-1 longshot Out Of Bounds to a half-length victory over 1-2 favorite Secret Circle in the Grade III $100,000 Sham Stakes, the first major West Coast prep race for 3-year-olds seeking a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Out Of Bounds, a gangly son of Discreet Cat out of 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff champion Unbridled Elaine, sure looked like a horse who might enjoy the Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles after wearing down Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint champion Secret Circle with a steady, sustained stretch run to win the mile race in 1:34.56.

“He’s a very big horse, but he’s a gentle giant,” trainer Eoin Harty said. “He’s come around mentally as well as physically, and sometimes it takes a while for both to catch up.”

Added Gomez: “He’s a work in progress. He’s got a bright future. We’ll see how he takes to his next couple of races, see how good he is. He leaped over one obstacle today toward the triple crown.”

It was the first race around two turns for Out Of Bounds.

“He did everything really professional for a horse that’s only run a couple of times,” Gomez said. “I was excited by his last couple of races. He’s such a good-sized colt, and I thought the two turns would really help him because he’s such a long-striding horse. It’s just a matter of getting him to understand how to do it the right way.”

Trainer Bob Baffert indicated he wasn’t disappointed with Secret Circle, though there are questions whether sprinting might be the best path in his future. It was Secret Circle’s first defeat in four races.

“He wasn’t exhausted when he came back, so it was a good experience for him,” Baffert said.

Uh Oh Bango and jockey Mike Smith won the $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes for older horses later in the day.

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