Baffle

NEW KENT, VA--Bob Baffert has an embarrassment of riches on his hands when it comes to classy 3-year-old fillies. Grade I winner Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) joined stablemates Explora (Blame) and Forced Entry (Charlatan) in the top five slots of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard Saturday with her dominant win in the second running of the Virginia Oaks. Making her second start of the year, Bottle of Rouge crossed the country to Colonial Downs off a 1 1/2-length score in the Sunland Park Oaks Feb. 15. She...

The Equibase chart detailing the running of race 2 at Churchill Downs Wednesday summarized Sassy C W (Yaupon)'s performance very succinctly: 'rocket ship, hand ride'. Yup, that pretty much summed up the TDN Rising Star-earning performance. Appearing to be catapulted out of post 7, Sassy C W instantly opened up by three lengths as third choice Wakuda (Gun Runner), her closest rival, gave futile chase. Still churning her piston-like legs approaching the quarter pole, the Larry Rivelli-conditioned filly pivoted off the turn nine lengths in front, and was as good...