Guilt Trip scores in Strub

Gary and Mary West's Guilt Trip was gaining ground in the Grade 2 San Fernando on January 12 but just missed by a head and a half-length to Fed Biz and Tritap when finishing third that day. On Saturday, the Bob Baffert trainee gained a measure of revenge

when taking the Grade 2, $200,250

Strub by 1 1/2 lengths over Stephanoatsee with jockey Joe Talamo returning to the saddle.

Tritap tried to gain command of the race from the very start, but Fed Biz and Handsome Mike wouldn't let the gray get away with a comfortable lead. Fed Biz backed out of the developing duel, settling into third while Tritap and Handsome Mike raced in tandem

down the backstretch through splits of :22 2/5, :46 1/5 and 1:10 4/5. All the while, Guilt Trip was biding his time running well back in fourth.

Nearing the turn, Fed Biz kicked into gear and was quickly followed by Guilt Trip. The pair drew even with Tritap and Handsome Mike, with Guilt Trip getting the worst of it when forced four wide entering the lane. That didn't deter the Pulpit four-year-old,

who merely dug in to take the lead. Stephanoatsee was closing fast down the center of the track, but Guilt Trip had too much for his rivals and maintained a comfortable margin to finish nine furlongs on the fast main track in 1:48 4/5.

"It really set up great for him," Talamo said. "He's a professional. I just had to point him in the right direction today. The extra sixteenth (of a mile from the San Fernando) really helped. I think the mile and a quarter (of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap

on March 2) he'll love even more."

"He trained forwardly," Baffert noted. "Stretching him out was really important for him. The longer distance will really help him. He can sit and wait. Today the pace was pretty fast, so it was a big difference."

Baffert was non-committal when asked if the Big 'Cap is now on Guilt Trip's radar.

"I don't like to get ahead of myself because we're superstitious. We don't want to jinx ourselves," he remarked, before adding, "It's a good option for him if he's doing well."

Sent off the 2-1 favorite, Guilt Trip paid $6.40, $3.40 and $2.40. Stephanoatsee had three parts of a length to spare on Baffert pupil Fed Biz, who got the head score in the San Fernando and just held third by a nose over Handsome Mike. Tritap followed in

fifth with Groovin' Solo rounding out the order of finish. Shadow Runner was scratched in favor of a starter handicap on Sunday.

"It was a good trip for us," said Stephanoatsee's rider, Julien Leparoux. "There wasn't any pace for us. He's a big horse and it took him a long time to get going. The winner got the jump on us, but my horse didn't get tired."

Guilt Trip began his time on track with trainer Chad Brown, running a one-paced eighth in his debut at Saratoga before breaking his maiden by a neck and then taking an optional claimer by three lengths at Belmont Park. The bay colt tried stakes company for

the first time in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct in mid-November and finished fifth in that nine-furlong contest in what would be his final race for Brown.

Shipping to California and transferred to Baffert not long after the Discovery, Guilt Trip finished fifth in his bow for his new shedrow, the Grade 1 Malibu, then came back in the San Fernando most recently to just miss in a rallying third.

The four-year-old now boasts a 3-0-1 mark from seven starts and more than doubled his earnings to $237,567.

Bred in Kentucky by Winsong Farm, Guilt Trip has more than earned back his initial purchase price of $200,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling. He is out of the winning Quiet American mare Mysterieuse Etoile, who is a half-sister to stakes victor

Salty Sea.

This is the same female family as Group 2-winning half-siblings Majorien and America, as well as the latter's son European and Australian champion and duel French highweight Americain, who captured the 2010 Group 1 Melbourne Cup and finished third in that

same year's Group 1 Hong Kong Vase. Also of note in this line is Grade 1 winner Jovial.

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