Messier, Adare Manor in “Perfect” breezes
At 0h02, on April 5, 2022 • By SANTA ANITA
Messier and Adare Manor, winners of their last races by a combined margin of 28 lengths, each worked yesterday for this Saturday’s Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and Grade II Santa Anita Oaks, and Tim Yakteen was beyond delighted.
Messier and Adare manor both breezed five furlongs, the former in 1:00.60 and latter in 1:00.20.
“Messier was spectacular, as was the filly,” the trainer said. “We’re right on point. Messier went at 6:30 with Drayden Van Dyke aboard and Adare Manor went at 7:45 with my exercise rider, Baltazar Contreras.
“The works were just what I was looking for and were perfectly executed.”
Messier, named for hockey great Mark Messier, winner of six Stanley Cups, won the Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 6 by 15 lengths. The son of Empire Maker has been favored in each of his five races, four times at odds-on, and will vie for favoritism with Forbidden Kingdom in the Santa Anita Derby.
Adare Manor, a daughter of Uncle Mo, won her last two races by a combined margin of 25 lengths, including a 13-length romp in the Grade III Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 6.
John Velazquez will ride Adare Manor in the Oaks and Messier in the Santa Anita Derby.
The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles will be run for the 85th time. It offers the winner 100 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby, 40 to the runner-up, 20 to the third-place finisher and 10 to the fourth.
There will be early first post time April 9 of 3:00 p.m.
