DETTORI ADDS TO MASSIVE DAY WITH UPSET WIN ABOARD NOTHING LIKE YOU IN GII, $300,000 SANTA ANITA OAKS

IT’S THE INTERNATIONAL STAR JOCKEY’S 5TH STRAIGHT WIN ON SANTA ANITA DERBY DAY

ARCADIA, CA (April 6, 2024)—International star jockey Frankie Dettori won his fifth-consecutive race at Santa Anita Saturday when guiding Nothing Like You to a dominant victory in the GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks going 1 1/16 miles.

Dispatched at 7-1 in a five-horse field, Dettori and Nothing Like You saved ground while stalking the pace, surged through along the rail at the top of the stretch and then drew off to win by 7 ½ lengths. Left in their wake was previously undefeated stablemate Kinza, the 1-2 favorite, who set the pace under Juan Hernandez but proved no match in the stretch.

Nothing Like You is trained by Bob Baffert, who won his fourth Santa Anita Oaks. Last year, Baffert won with Faiza.  Kinza, also trained by Baffert, held on for second by a half-length over a rallying Corposo (12-1). Kopion, the 2-1 second choice with Mike Smith up, was another eight lengths back in fourth.

“We were lucky enough to have a decent break and got in a good position, where I wasn’t getting any of the kick back,” Dettori said from the Winner’s Circle.” I was fully loaded at the quarter pole. I just needed a little bit of room and she took off. What can you say about Baffert? He’s a genius. We have a good working relationship. He trains them and I ride them.”

Ifuaintifrsturlast, a 35-1 longshot for trainer Val Brinkerhoff, was eased across the wire by jockey Tyler Baze. Earlier on the day at Aqueduct, another Brinkerhoff 3-year-old filly, Santa Anita-based Where’s My Ring, won the GIII Gazelle at Aqueduct to earn a berth in next month’s Kentucky Oaks.

Kinza, a perfect 3-for-3 entering Saturday, set fractions of 23.42, 46.88 and 1:10.72 for six furlongs with Kopion lapped to her outside. Nothing Like You found racing room on the rail and blew past the pair, reached the furlong marker in 1:36.64 and then cruised under the wire to win in a final time of 1:43.21 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track.

This was Dettori’s second stakes win of the day. In the fifth race, the $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, he piloted Roberta’s Love to 9-1 upset victory for trainer Hector Palma.

For Nothing Like You, this was her fourth win seven starts for owners Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John L. Rogitz. The daughter of Malibu Moon now has three stakes wins and $423,160 in earnings. Most recently, Nothing Like You faced Kinza and Kopion in the GIII Las Virgenes March 10 at Santa Anita and proved no match for that pair. She finished fourth, 12 ¾ lengths back of winner Kinza. Kopion was second by two lengths. Her prior stakes scores came in the GII Starlet at Los Alamitos Dec. 9 and the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz at Del Mar Nov. 18.

Nothing Like You paid $16.40, $3.80 and $3.60. Kinza returned $2.20 and $2.10. Corposo, who was ridden by Diego Herrera for trainer Peter Eurton, paid $4.00 to show.