Midnight Lute produces three winners at Santa Anita this weekend

If anything was learned at Santa Anita this weekend, it’s that the $15,000 stud fee for Eclipse Award winner Midnight Lute needs to be raised.

There were three horses from the first crop of foals by Midnight Lute that won Saturday and Sunday, all trained by Bob Baffert, who was the trainer when Midnight Lute won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2007 and 2008.

Shakin It Up, under jockey David Flores, was the biggest winner of the weekend, taking Sunday’s Grade II, $150,000 San Vicente Stakes by one length over Treasury Bill in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.

Earlier on the same card, the Baffert-trained 3-year-old Governor Charlie won a one-mile maiden race. And on Saturday, the 3-year-old filly Midnight Lucky sped to victory in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race. All have Midnight Lute as their father.

“The thing about Midnight Lute was he was a brilliant racehorse,� Baffert said. “I think all his foals are a little bit slow coming around. We’ve taken our time with them, and they’re really maturing now and showing he looks like he’s going to be a real good sire.�

Trainer Ron Ellis was pleased with the performance of Treasury Bill, who rallied from last in the six-horse field and would appear primed for his first race around two turns next month, probably the $500,000 Rebel Stakes on March 16 at Oaklawn Park.

“He ran really good,� Ellis said.

There were no points awarded in the San Vicente that go toward starting in the Kentucky Derby, but Shakin It Up, Treasury Bill and the third-place finisher, Caballo Del Cielo, will be pointed toward future stakes events.

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