Kentucky Derby Prep Races 2005 - Longshot Buzzard’s Bay Redeemed as Santa Anita Derby Champion, Hopes Lost for Sweet Catomine

09 April 2005 - Who would’ve thought? Buzzard’s Bay, a 30-1 longshot, marched to victory by a half-length at the 2005 Santa Anita Derby (G1) stakes race on Saturday, April 9, handing trainer Jeff Mullins an unprecedented third straight win in this $750,000 major prep race to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Meanwhile, heavily favored Sweet Catomine finished a disappointing fifth, putting the filly's run for the roses to an unexpected halt before it ever got started.

Ridden by Mark Guidry, 2005 Santa Anita Derby champion Buzzard's Bay scored a stunning upset for Mullins, who had also won the race in 2004 with Castledale and in 2003 with Buddy Gil. The triumphant longshot ran near the lead in the 11-horse field before going to the front at the top of the stretch and winning by a half-length over runnerup General John B.

Florida-bred Buzzard's Bay's longshot victory is actually a repeat for Jeff Mullins, who had bagged the 2004 Santa Anita Derby championship win with another 30-1 shot, Castledale. Last year's champ paid $62 to win, the sixth highest in the Santa Anita Derby's 68-year history. In 2003, Mullins had also won with 6-1 shot Buddy Gil. He is the only trainer to win the Santa Anita Derby, the West Coast's last major prep race before the Kentucky Derby, thrice in a row.

Kentucky-bred Wilko, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, placed third by a nose. The most experienced horse in the field with 13 starts, Wilko, who had been trained on the turf tracks of England, has been plagued by persistent quarter cracks since making the transition to harder tracks.

Sweet Catomine, 2004 champion filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, hoped to beat the boys for the first time after manhandling fillies in five straight victories. Unbeaten in three Santa Anita starts, 4-5 favorite Sweet Catomine broke from the No. 2 post and got trapped in heavy traffic in the inside. As jockey Corey Nakatani moved her to the outside, the favorite filly came out flat and placed a mere fifth behind Giacomo.

Saturday's second choice, Don't Get Mad, turned in a similarly lackluster performance. The Kentucky Derby hopeful trained by Ron Ellis placed sixth behind Sweet Catomine.

Covering the Santa Anita Derby's distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) in a plodding 1:49.18, champion Buzzard's Bay paid $62.20, $21.80, and $10.80. Second place finisher General John B, a 60-1 longshot, triggered an exacta payoff of $751.40.