Citizen Bull extends win streak to three in Robert B. Lewis

Feb 01, 2025 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

There was a brief, anxious moment for champion juvenile colt Citizen Bull in his season debut Saturday in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita. But after bobbling slightly at the start, the son of Into Mischief quickly seized control and never looked back.

Replicating the tactics he used to secure his championship last fall in the American Pharoah (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Citizen Bull grabbed the lead entering the first turn, set a steady pace, and then widened his advantage down the lane to win by 3 3/4 lengths under Martin Garcia.

'When I was warming him up, he just wanted to go and you could see that he was ready and when the gates opened it was like the ground broke underneath him,' Garcia said. 'He just broke too fast. Right away he recovered, and I just sat, sat, sat and he just took me right away.'

Citizen Bull covered one mile over a fast track in 1:36.71 and paid $3.80.

It was a 1-2-3 finish for the Bob Baffert stable, as Citizen Bull was followed by second choice Rodriguez, who had a 2 1/4-length advantage on Madaket Road. Clock Tower was 7 3/4 lengths behind in fourth, while the outclassed Valentines Candy trailed throughout.

Baffert, who has now won the last seven editions of the Lewis and 13 overall, conditions Citizen Bull for a wide-ranging partnership headed by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion Citizen Bull returns in this weekend's G3 Robert B. Lewis! 🐂

Meet the entire field. 👇 https://t.co/cSrGCBfrEI

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 29, 2025

'He wasn't cranked up totally, but he is such a good horse that he just caught another gear,' said Baffert of Citizen Bull, who has now won four of five starts, his only loss being in last summer's Del Mar Futurity (G1). 'My other horses ran really well. They are learning their styles, and they need a little more racing.'

Citizen Bull earned an additional 20 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points and now has 50 in total. Rodriguez secured 10 points, Madaket Road six points, Clock Tower four points, and Valentines Candy two points.

Citizen Bull, who sold for $675,000 at Keeneland September, was produced by No Joke, a daughter of Distorted Humor. His third dam, Evil Elaine, reared 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick.