ARCADIA, Calif. – The noise Roadster made last summer was concerning. The noise he’s making now is entirely different. A breathing problem forced him to the sidelines following his second start last summer at Del Mar. Surgery corrected the issue, and he’s now on his way to the Kentucky Derby as one of the nation’s best 3-year-olds. In his second start following a layoff of nearly six months, Roadster won the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, beating his favored stablemate, Game Winner, by a half-length. The only person who wasn’t concerned as the horses neared the wire was Bob Baffert, who trains both. The win was the record ninth in the Santa Anita Derby for Baffert, and his second straight in concert with jockey Mike Smith after teaming with Justify last year. The result brought a semblance of normalcy to a track that has had a tumultuous season. “I really think the weather caused a lot of this,” Baffert said, alluding to the spike of fatalities that caused racing to be suspended for nearly four weeks last month. The weather impacted Roadster. He had quarter cracks earlier this year, and Baffert was reluctant to train him aggressively on surfaces that were being sealed and then re-opened. Baffert finally was able to get Roadster back to the races on March 1, when Roadster won a first-level allowance race. The Santa Anita Derby thus became his only shot at earning his way into the Kentucky Derby, for he came into the race with zero points. He needed to finish at least second to be certain of a position in the starting gate. He went one better. Roadster, fifth of six for the first six furlongs of the 1 1/8-mile race, began his rally in earnest midway on the far turn, was third at midstretch, and gradually got past Game Winner in the closing yards to earn 100 points and first prize of $600,000. He paid $8.20 to win. :: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker Game Winner, who was lugging in badly through the lane, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front Instagrand, who set the pace but couldn’t stay the trip. Nolo Contesto was fourth and was followed, in order, by the longshots Synthesis and More Ice. Roadster was timed in 1:51.28 for 1 1/8 miles on a track that is fast but deep. “This track is deep, and it’s slow, but it’s safe,” Baffert said. Roadster, like Santa Anita Oaks winner Bellafina, is by Quality Road. Roadster was bred by Arthur and Staci Hancock’s Stone Farm, and he was purchased as a yearling for $575,000 by the Speedway Stable of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner. Roadster has now won three times in four starts, his only loss in the Del Mar Futurity, which was won by Game Winner. “Him and Game Winner, before they ran they were breezing with horses who had already won,” Smith said. “I was really happy when I got to ride one of them. The first time he ran, he showed he had all the gears. The second time, he had the problem with his wind. Took care of that, he’s not making any noise. He had a good last race, and he was better today.” “Roadster is a light horse but has shown brilliance from Day One,” Baffert said. “We were just lucky to bring him back, because after Del Mar I was worried if the surgery didn’t go well.” Since returning, though, “the breathing has not been an issue,” Baffert said. “Today he passed the test,” Baffert said. In the Santa Anita Derby, Smith allowed Roadster to drop back early and draft in behind a four-wide battle for the lead. “We dropped back heading to the far turn. I wanted to wait,” Smith said. Baffert was thrilled with Smith’s tactics. “Mike Smith, he does things that are unbelievable,” Baffert said. “He saved a lot of ground. Game Winner was wide the whole way.” Game Winner put forth a good effort. He was coming back just three weeks after going to Oaklawn, but he did not help himself by lugging in through the lane. “Normally he gets there, grinding and grinding, but he was lugging in,” said his rider, Joel Rosario. Instagrand, trying two turns for the first time, led through fractions of 23.34 seconds, 47.84, and 1:12.20 for the first six furlongs, but couldn’t go with the top two late. “He ran a great race,” said his rider, Flavien Prat. “At the quarter pole I thought I was done, but he gave me more.” The first two are bound now for the Kentucky Derby four weeks hence. “Now we can dream in technicolor,” said Baffert, who said he “couldn’t be happier.” After a trying time at Santa Anita, a great day of racing was just the tonic, for him and everyone.