Bet down to 3-5 favoritism in a first level allowance race at Santa Anita on Thursday, Fed Biz defeated 7-5 second choice Consulado by 5 3/4  lengths -- leading Rafael Bejarano to declare, “This is my Derby horse buddy."

Fed Biz is installed at a 20-1 morning line in Pool 1 of Churchill Downs’ Future Wager which opens Friday and closes Sunday. That Morning Line is the same as some others based in California: Creative Cause, I’ll Have Another, Liaison and Out of Bounds.

Fed Biz tracked the early pace of Consulado, who had broken his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths in his previous start while negotiating 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15. The Kentucky-bred son of Giant’s Causeway moved up to Consulado’s flank turning into the stretch, took command entering the lane and was geared down at the wire after drifting in and racing somewhat greenly through the stretch. He was timed in 1:34.74.

Consulado, ridden by David Flores finished 6 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Blueskiesnrainbows.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the bay colt impressively broke his maiden going one mile in his previous start when defeating Zackn’mat by 1 3/4 length in 1:35.40. Zackn’mat returned to win his next race.

“He repeated that race, and he’s going to improve a lot more,” Bejarano said. “Today, he was more comfortable, and he showed me more kick in the stretch. He won very easy. I had so much horse to stay close. I knew the time was kind of fast, but I had so much horse, he was just galloping.”

“He’s still a little green,” said Baffert. “When he hit the top of the stretch, he had his ears up and he didn’t switch leads until real late. I’m glad I got a race into him. That’s part of the process. You know he has the pedigree, and he has a lot of just natural talent.”

Fed Biz paid $3.40, $2.20 and $2.20.

Baffert did not specify a next start for Fed Biz. “It’s a long way to go,” he said.

--Edited Santa Anita release