Bibby or STD Racing Stable’s YES HE’S A PISTOL (Yes It’s True) spurted clear
turning for home and finished gamely to capture the $85,450
Santana Mile H. by
a length at Santa Anita on Sunday. The four-year-old colt broke sharply under
Garrett Gomez and dueled on the front end with Best Minister (Deputy Minister) through splits of :22 4/5 and :46 for the opening half-mile. As
the duo approached the final turn, Yes He’s A Pistol opened up a bit but soon
had a fresh challenger in Saint Buddy (Saint Ballado) for the stretch run.
Trained by Doug O’ Neill, the colt found more while holding that one at bay,
completing the one mile in 1:35 2/5 over the fast track. Sent off at 9-2 odds,
the chestnut gave back $11.80, $6.80 and $5.20 while keying the $34.80 exacta
($1), $272.60 trifecta ($1), and $1,201.30 superfecta ($1) at 9-2.
Dixie Meister (Holzmeister) made a strong but belated run to finish second,
paying $8 and $5.60 at 5-1. Saint Buddy persevered for the show,
good for $7.20 at 8-1 while 1 1/2 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. Preachinatthebar (Silver Charm) concluded the superfecta
at 7-2 and was trailed
by Estevan (Grand Slam), Truly A Judge (Judge T C), Snorter (Awesome Again), 3-1
favorite Imperialism (Langfuhr) and Best Minister. Minister Eric (Old Trieste),
Melanyhasthepapers (Game Plan), Courageous King (Elusive Quality) and Keep on
Punching (Silver Deputy) were scratched from the race.
Yes He’s A Pistol moved his mark to 16-4-3-0 with earnings of $191,501
following the win. This marked the first stakes tally for the four-year-old, who
was second in the 2005 Bien Bien S.
Bred in the Sunshine State by Moloney/Thompson, Yes He’s A Pistol fetched a
bid of $60,000 at the 2003 OBS August Yearling Sale. Produced from the Grade 3-winning Maggie’s Pistol (Big Pistol), the winner counts the unraced two-year-old
filly Maggie’s Prayer (Songandaprayer) and an unnamed yearling filly by Peace
Rules as half-sisters.