Bob Baffert wins $100,000 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Gimme Da Lute won the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds by a half-length Sunday for Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Gimme Da Lute ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.40 and paid $9.20 and $3.20 as the 7-2 second choice.

The horse is co-owned by Mike Pegram, who owned 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet, whose Triple Crown bid ended with a nose loss in the Belmont Stakes.

Baffert was still in New York on Sunday, a day after he saddled American Pharoah to a 5 1/2-length victory in the Belmont Stakes to win horse racing's first Triple Crown in 37 years.

Garcia exercised American Pharoah in the mornings during his Triple Crown campaign, although he was ridden by Victor Espinoza.

Prospect Park returned $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite in his first race since finishing third in the Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Om was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third. There was no show wagering because of the four-horse field.

The victory, worth $60,000, increased Gimme Da Lute's career earnings to $247,560, with three wins - all at Santa Anita - in six starts.

The race is named for Affirmed, who in 1978 became the 11th horse to win the Triple Crown. No horse had completed the feat since then until American Pharoah.