Can the Man stands tall in Grade 3 Affirmed S.

Can the Man’s early foot carried the 3-year-old colt to the winner’s circle in the $100,000 Affirmed S. (G3) at Santa Anita on Saturday. The 1 1/4 lengths victory, worth $60,000, increased the son of Into Mischief’s career earnings to $216,000.

Along with Vicar’s In Trouble and Lotsa Mischief, Into Mischief has a trio of 3-year-old stakes winners this year. That group has propelled Into Mischief in to the top 5 on the 2014 Second Crop Sire list.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Kaleem Shah, Can the Man flashed his speed early in the 1 1/16 mile Affirmed. The bay sophomore hooked up early with Frensham, with that pair head and head through a half mile in :48.83 seconds and six furlongs in 1:12.56.

Can the Man began to pull clear nearing the top of the stretch, opening up with about two lengths at the furlong marker to hold off a late-closing Friendswith K Mill. The final time on the fast track was 1:44.27 (VIDEO).

“He’s been working really good and we were hoping he’d be ready,” said winning rider Martin Garcia, who had ridden Can the Man in all four of his previous starts. “He’s a fast horse and he’s more mature now with the time off.”

Can the Man had been away from the races since last October. As a 2-year-old, he won the $100,000 Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita and also finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. His overall record now stands at 3-0-1, with a bankroll of $216,000.

Bred in Kentucky by Malibu Farm, LLC, Can the Man is out of Smolensk and is a half-brother to two-time stakes winner Martha’s Moon, by Malibu Moon. Smolensk is a half-sister to Better Than Honour, winner of the Grade 2 Demoiselle S. and dam of Belmont S. (G1) winners Rags to Riches and Jazil.

Can the Man sold for the highest price during the 2013 Barretts May Horses of Racing Age sale, when Baffert, as agent for Shah, placed a winning bid of $320,000.