Grade 2, $301,000 San Felipe Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita, March 6, 2021 (50 Derby qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth) Winner: Life Is Good, by Into Mischief Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike Smith Owner: CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC Beyer Speed Figure: 107 I’ve written a lot about LIFE IS GOOD over the past few months, and this performance was another example of why he is deserving of that attention. He followed up his victory in the Sham (https://www.drf.com/news/road-2021-kentucky-derby-sham-stakes-analysis) with a dominating performance in his first try at 1 1/16 miles while earning a career-best Beyer fig that is at least nine points superior to what any other 3-year-old has turned in this year. What was noteworthy about this race was that he was setting quick fractions while seemingly doing it under control, not acting like a runaway freight train as in his debut or his similarly headstrong effort in the Sham. In the two months since the Sham, Life Is Good has been trained to not blast off, and as noted in the news story following his final work for this race (https://www.drf.com/news/life-good-works-six-furlongs-san-felipe-stakes-prep), he seemed to be taking his lessons well. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2021: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more In addition, as noted in the news story after his Feb. 15 work (https://www.drf.com/news/life-good-calm-and-collected-five-furlong-breeze), he had been equipped with a new bit to give the rider more control. All that added up to what was seen in the San Felipe. Life Is Good has more natural speed than anyone in the field – for anyone to go with him, they would have to be rushed off their feet, and that’s not going to be in that horse’s best interests, either – and as long as he can carry that speed he’ll be fine. His drifting through the lane is simply weird. The understandable and immediate reaction is to mark him down for that; it’s not something you want to see. What’s strange is that he doesn’t do it in the morning when he works, only in the afternoon, and this drift was far more pronounced here than in the Sham. Smith said after the race that Life Is Good was eyeballing the big video monitor in the infield while in the post parade, and was shying from it as he came through the lane. Maybe that’s why he’s doing it, maybe he’s still an inexperienced 3-year-old who was making just his third start. I’d be far more inclined to give him points off if he did it all the time, but he doesn’t. The only way he’ll be able to get away with that in subsequent races, though, is if he has a similarly large lead through the lane. He’ll be trying to go 1 1/8 miles in his next race, the Santa Anita Derby on April 3, and if successful there 1 1/4 miles against the best of the division on May 1 in the Kentucky Derby. He’ll have to be more mindful of circumstances. But the way he responded to what was asked of him in the morning in the time between the Sham and the San Felipe indicates he’s a good pupil, and as seen many times over the years, Baffert knows what it takes to win the Derby. In this race, Life Is Good used his natural speed to get to the front without being asked from his rail draw. He had a clear lead around the first turn and into the backstretch, and widened on his opposition heading down the backside. He continued rolling on the lead early on the far turn as his rivals were asked to keep up, then extended his margin through the lane while drifting out several lanes. Notably, Smith never hit him; he was simply ridden out. He galloped out well in front of the field. Readers will recall I was skeptical at this time last year of another Baffert-trained son of Into Mischief, who also won the San Felipe, being able to handle 1 1/4 miles. Authentic I believe greatly benefitted by the four-month postponement of the 2020 Derby; he was a far better horse in September. Life Is Good might be better, too, in September than he will be in May, but that won’t come into play for this year’s Derby. I’m of the firm belief, though, that at this stage of the game – March of his 3-year-old year, three starts in -- Life Is Good is a superior animal to Authentic. MEDINA SPIRIT, who finished second, was rated off the hip of his stablemate heading into the first turn while kept about three lanes wide, and he was under more severe restraint just before turning into the backstretch, which certainly allowed Life Is Good an easier time on the lead. Three furlongs out, he was ridden along to try and close the gap, but could not do so. He was passed slightly by DREAM SHAKE nearing the quarter pole, but gamely re-rallied to outrun Dream Shake for second while never getting close to the winner. Being as both Life Is Good and Medina Spirit are Baffert trainees, it’s understandable to question the tactics of Medina Spirit, and maybe if Medina Spirit was in a different barn he’d have engaged earlier. But at what cost? When Medina Spirit was rushed off his feet in the Lewis (https://www.drf.com/news/road-2021-kentucky-derby-robert-lewis-stakes-analysis), he was all-out to hold on and prevail, with a 91 Beyer. Any rational evaluation of his form would lead to the conclusion that he’s better served stalking and pouncing, as he got a career-best figure (99) when ridden that way in the Sham. This race’s tactics mirrored the Sham. The difference was Life Is Good never came back to the field. Dream Shake, who was third, raced mid-pack in the two path around the first turn, gained ground inside of Medina Spirit heading to the half-mile pole, got through inside the whole way on the turn and was briefly in front of Medina Spirit at the top of the lane, but tired in the final 150 yards. His lone experience prior to this was a debut sprint win against maidens, so to run this well against colts of this quality marks this as a terrific try. ROMAN CENTURIAN, who was fourth, trailed into the first turn while three paths wide, raced in the two path on the far turn, was slightly late to change leads in upper stretch, and finished evenly while never a threat. He didn’t get the kind of pace setup that aided him in the Lewis. His steady, grinding style might work better next time in a race like the Wood Memorial. THE GREAT ONE, who was fifth, bumped into NONE ABOVE THE LAW leaving the gate, then went into the first turn just outside of Medina Spirit, about three to four paths wide, while also being rated. He raced three paths wide on the far turn, outside Dream Shake and Medina Spirit, but began to weaken before reaching the quarter pole, drifted out, and faded. His best race out of six lifetime tries came in his only race with Lasix, which he could not use here. None Above the Law, who was sixth, was bumped by The Great One leaving the gate, then saved ground around the first turn while toward the rear of the field. He had trouble trying to keep up with the leaders heading around the far turn while inside of Roman Centurian, and never got close. Back to statebred company. GOVENOR’S PARTY, who finished last of seven, was three paths wide into the first turn while just outside Dream Shake, dropped back to last midway through the race, was badly outrun the rest of the way, and was pretty much eased through the lane while badly overmatched. A return to statebred company, and synthetics, will be in his best interest.