Coming off a determined second-place finish in the Haskell Invitational S. (G1), Kentucky-bred Taiba got back in the win column on Saturday, Sept. 24 with a convincing 2 ½-length victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at PARX.
Ridden by jockey Mike Smith, Taiba tracked the early pace set by Florida Derby (G1) White Abarrio in the early stages. He rated patiently for Smith down the backstretch and was angled wide advancing near the quarter pole and hit the front of the 1 1/8-mile fixture in upper stretch. He bounded clear from his rivals late under moderate urging from Smith to defeat a rallying Zandon by three lengths at the finish. Trained by Bob Baffert, Taiba covered the distance in 1:48.67.
Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, the son of Gun Runner is now a winner in three of five lifetime starts. The $546,000 winner’s share of the lucrative purse increased his bankroll to $1,236,200. Bred in Kentucky by Bruce Ryan out of the Flatter mare Needmore Flattery, Taiba was a $1.7 million acquisition at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale a year ago where agent Gary Young signed the ticket for the colt out of the Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds consignment.
Taiba exploded onto the scene with a 7 ½-length victory in a Santa Anita maiden special weight in his March 5th career debut. He followed that effort with a 2 ¼-length win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in just his second lifetime start before finishing 12th in a troubled outing in the Kentucky Derby (G1). In his previous outing prior to the Pennsylvania Derby, Taiba finished second, beaten just a head by Cyberknife in the Haskell.
Taiba, one of five stakes winners on the day for his stallion Gun Runner, is likely to face Flightline, Life is Good, and fellow 3-year-old Epicenter in a potentially star-studded field in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland.