Jimmy Creed got a good trip and well-timed ride by Garrett Gomez to take the $300,000 Malibu S. (G1) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park to become Distorted Humor’s newest Grade 1 winner (VIDEO). The victory was the first graded stakes win for the 3-year-old colt.
Jimmy Creed is one of seven graded stakes winners in 2012 by Distorted Humor. The WinStar stallion is enjoying another stellar year, ranking in the top 10 on the General Sire list in progeny earnings ($8.02 million), graded stakes winners (7), and Grade 1 winners (2).
Owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, Jimmy Creed was away in good order from post 2 as Garrett Gomez slipped his mount over to the rail and tucked in the fourth spot down the backstretch. Still hugging the rail around the turn, Gomez sat patiently until he found an opening just after straightening for home. Jimmy Creed shot through and wore down pacesetter Private Zone to come home a three-quarter length winner in a lightning quick 1:20.36, just three-fifths of a second off the track record.
“With these kind of races you never know what is going to happen,” said Gomez afterward. “I knew on paper what the race might look like and which horses might show speed. When I left the gate my horse broke really well and stuck me in a place where I was very comfortable and he was traveling really comfortable. It was just a beautiful trip. It was a good learning experience for this horse and he just keeps getting better. I have a lot of confidence in him and hopefully he just continues to keep doing what he’s doing.”
The Malibu was Jimmy Creed’s first start since a ninth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), also at Santa Anita, on Nov. 3. Trainer Richard Mandella blamed the loss on Jimmy Creed racing behind horses and being hit with dirt early in the race.
“(Jimmy Creed) doesn’t like dirt in his face and that’s basically what bothered him in the Breeders’ Cup,” said Mandella. “We trained him behind horses and schooled him as much as we could, so I just told Garrett it was up to him to do what he thinks best. He got him out of the two hole and just close enough to where he didn’t get that big stream of mud in his face.”
The always-consistent Jimmy Creed is now 3-2-1 in seven starts, and had earned $313,000. He is out of Hookedonthefeelin, winner of the La Brea S. (G1), Landaluce S. (G2), and three other black-type races. She is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Pussycat Doll and stake winner Funny Feeling. Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes purchased Jimmy Creed for $900,000 at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale.
As far as Jimmy Creed’s next start, Mandella said, “We’ll probably look at the Strub (Grade 2, Feb. 2) and the Santa Anita Handicap (Grade 1, March 2), all that kind of stuff.”
