Reigning champion juvenile and Breeders' Cup winner Citizen Bull made his highly anticipated 3-year-old debut a winning one, delivering a commanding performance in Saturday’s Grade III, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the 4-5 favorite overcame a slight stumble at the break before seizing control and never looking back, pulling away late under Martin Garcia for a 3 ¾-length victory in the one-mile contest. Stablemate Rodriguez (7-5) finished second, with Madaket Road (5-1) rounding out the Baffert-trained trifecta. Clock Tower (12-1) and Valentines Candy (49-1) completed the field.

Despite an awkward start, Citizen Bull quickly recovered, taking the lead on the rail with Rodriguez pressing to his outside and Clock Tower tracking wider in third through an opening half in 23.27 and 47.06 seconds. By the time they reached the three-eighths pole, Rodriguez had briefly faded to fourth, while Madaket Road loomed a threat alongside Clock Tower. But as the field hit the quarter pole in 1:10.99, Citizen Bull found another gear and effortlessly extended his advantage, stopping the clock in 1:36.71.

“He was fresh and just wanted to go,” Garcia said of the Into Mischief colt. “He kind of broke too fast, like the ground gave way under him, but he recovered right away.”

For Baffert, the victory marked his seventh consecutive win in the Lewis and 13th overall. More importantly, the race serves as a key stepping stone toward the Kentucky Derby, awarding Citizen Bull 20 qualifying points for the Run for the Roses. Rodriguez earned 10 points, with Madaket Road, Clock Tower, and Valentines Candy collecting 6, 4, and 2 points, respectively.

“The champ is back,” Baffert declared in the winner’s circle. “He’s a laid-back horse in the morning, but he’s got those gears when it matters.”

Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, Citizen Bull now boasts a 5: 4-0-1 record with $1,521,000 in earnings. His resume includes victories in the G1 American Pharoah and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, with his only career loss being a third-place finish in the Del Mar Futurity last September.

With his seasonal debut behind him, Citizen Bull’s path toward the Kentucky Derby is officially underway.

Image Santa Anita