By scheduling the Providencia Stakes, a race following the Californian, Medoro maintains his perfection.
Wishing that his late father, Larry, could have shared the pleasure with him, Kyle Brookshire saw his homebred Mr. Fisk collar Judge Miller in the second turn of the April 20 Californian Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
"It's a very special day to win because my father actually passed away a year ago Wednesday," Texas resident Brookshire said. "My father and Mr. Fisk's mother founded the stable six or seven years ago. This horse certainly has a flair for the theatrical; Mr. Fisk's first stakes victory came two days after my father's birthday."
The 7-2 second favourite, Mr. Fisk, also produced a spectacular performance in the 1 1/8-mile Californian, lagging behind his three competitors as the clear favourite, Judge Miller, maintained a leisurely pace. Judge Miller seemed in total control as he carved out his first quarter-mile in :24.67 and a half-mile in :48.75, coming off an 11-length victory in just his third start.
On the second turn, Mr. Fisk was asked to rev up by jockey Kazushi Kimura, who had already ridden two winners on the card. Judge Miller was challenged by Mr. Fisk to take the lead, and the two fought the entire distance. In the last stretch, Mr. Fisk gained ground and won by two and a quarter lengths in 1:49.41.
Sunny Brook Stables, the Kentucky-based breeder of the 4-year-old, is the name under which Brookshire races Mr. Fisk. Both Mr. Fisk and his dam, the Manduro mare Plein Air, are trained by Bob Baffert. When it came time to breed her, the Brookshires followed Baffert's suggestion and chose Arrogate, the 2016 champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year who was also trained by Baffert.
The Santa Anita turf course's 1 1/2-mile Astra Stakes was won by Plein Air in 2018.
"I think it's the only mile and a half grass race I've ever won in my life," Baffert stated. "She moved quite quickly. We bred her to Arrogate since we felt he would only get better with age."
When Mr. Fisk arrived at the races in late 2022, Larry had already retired to Palm Springs, California. Mr. Fisk broke his maiden early the previous year, just before Larry passed away. The horse went on to win the 2023 Shared Belief Stakes and the Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar. With four victories in ten races, two seconds, and $249,700 in earnings, the colt is currently ranked fourth overall.
"Larry possessed the fervour," Baffert declared. "I remember him driving to Del Mar to watch him run."
According to Kyle, Sunny Brook consists of perhaps ten horses, comprising three broodmares and a few yearlings and two-year-olds.