The road to the 135th Kentucky Derby veered into several lanes over the weekend, an autobahn for stakes winners Quality Road and The Pamplemousse, potholes for Capt. Candyman Can and This Ones For Phil, and a stop sign for Midshipman and Notonthesamepage.
Here at Santa Anita, The Pamplemousse turned in the best race of his career, romping to a six-length victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Sham Stakes, in which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103. His trainer, Julio Canani, arrived at the winner's circle fighting back tears, which he did successfully, but it was a window into how much this Derby chase means to him.
"Everybody wants to knock him," Canani said, referring to The Pamplemousse, when asked why he was so emotional.
"It's fun, but more pressure," Canani said a few minutes later. "I don't know how to take pressure."
The Pamplemousse, the odds-on favorite at 1-2, was flawless Saturday, leading from start to finish in the 1 1/8-mile race. It was his third straight win, all since he was stretched out around two turns. But as easily as The Pamplemousse won the race, he was noticeably winded in the winner's circle afterward, unlike the effortless appearance he gave in his brilliant, recent works.
