Bob Baffert

New Pleasant Acres Stallion Mr Fisk Has First Foal On The Ground

Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida stands MGSW Mr Fisk (by Arrogate), who now has his first foal, a filly out of New York-bred Brass Cat (Bluegrass Cat), the farm said in a release on Friday. The new arrival hit the ground early on Friday morning at 3:25 a.m. ET for breeder Martine Britell. "Our beautiful Brass Cat has blessed us with another big, athletic baby," said Martine Britell. "Paired with Mr Fisk's amazing bloodlines and triple-digit speed, we are excited for this filly's future!" By the gone-to-soon Arrogate, Mr Fisk...

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Hopeful Runner-Up Buetane Returns in San Vicente

Buetane (Tiz the Law), a $1.15-million OBS April breezer and distant runner-up in the GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful S. at Saratoga last summer, headlines a field of five set for Saturday's GII San Vicente S. going seven furlongs at Santa Anita. The Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. colorbearer debuted with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance at Del Mar Aug. 3. He finished 8 1/2 lengths behind fellow 'Rising Star' and unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) as the favorite last time out at the...

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Gun Runner's French Blue An Easy Debut Winner At Santa Anita

French Blue (Gun Runner), off as the 3-5 favorite, showed good early speed from the outside gate, clearing down to sit just off the pace while pressuring the early lead through fractions of :22.77 and :45.82. Moving up under her own power to gain a narrow advantage by the quarter pole, she had no issue putting separation on stablemate Cherry Cider (Tiz the Law) and was in no danger of being caught by a closing Feisty Red Head (Curlin) who picked up second but was 2 1/4 lengths back of...

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Ted Noffey
TDN Derby Top 12: Dreams of Roses Take The Chill Out of January

We're inside the 16-week mark for the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. These initial rankings are largely based on 2-year-old form, but a speculative element is baked into the equation with an eye toward projecting how these still-developing contenders will blossom over the winter and early spring. 1) TED NOFFEY (c, Into Mischief--Streak of Luck) 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Aaron & Marie Jones LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $650,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: MGISW, 4-4-0-0, $1,657,963. Last start: WON Oct. 31 GI...

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Owens the Cornerstone of Cobra Farm

His favorite Gary Biszantz line is an instructive one: "You know, I may not be right-but I'm never confused." So while anyone who read our interview with his employer might be unnerved by the sheer force of his personality, Mike Owens himself has always appreciated its clarity and drive. He could hardly have lasted all these years as manager of Cobra Farm, right up to its sale earlier this year, without finding a reliable register for their relationship. Biszantz, to you or me, might seem larger than life; to Owens,...

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Barnes, Dual Graded Stakes Winner and $3.2-Million Saratoga Grad, Retired to Hill 'n' Dale

   Barnes (Into Mischief--All American Dream, by American Pharoah), a $3.2 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni on behalf of Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables, has been retired because of a tendon injury and will take up stud duty at John G. Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Farm, according to a farm release on Monday. Barnes will stand for a fee of $15,000 stands and nurses. A limited number of shares may be offered for sale. Barnes, a two-time graded stakes winner and Grade I...

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Baffert Trio 'Doing Well' After Santa Anita Weekend Sweep

Bob Baffert came out swinging on Santa Anita's opening day card on Sunday, with Nysos (Nyquist), Goal Oriented (Not This Time)--both TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard, and Usha (Tiz the Law), coming home winners in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr., GI Malibu and GI La Brea, respectively. According to the Hall of Famer, the trio were "doing well" on Monday morning. Baffert also indicated that Nysos and Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), runner up in the Laffit Pincay Jr., are among potential candidates for the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh...

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Santa Anita's Classic Meet Begins with Largest Opening Day Crowd Since 2016, Largest Sunday Opener This Century

It was a big day of racing, and the fans brought the energy, with 41,962 people packing the California track for the postponed opening day of Santa Anita's Classic Meet to make it the largest Sunday opener since 1999, the track announced via press release. The final fan tally was the largest since 2016, and the eighth Sunday opener in the venue's 90+ years also brought noteworthy numbers in the all-sources and on-track handles. The total all-sources mutuel handle was more than $18.2 million, marking the eighth time in the...

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Goal Oriented Sensational in Malibu, Scores First Elite Level Victory

Goal Oriented (Not This Time) notched a Grade I feather to his 2025 cap, but also further gilded a fabulous year for his sire, as he strolled home powerfully to take the GI Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on opening day. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' burst onto the scene Apr. 6 at this venue in a maiden special that yielded next out winners, and eventual stakes horses, namely MSW Train the Trainer (Dialed In) and SP Varney (Vekoma) while Concord Bridge (Medaglia d'Oro) and Day and Age...

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Tiz The Law's Usha Dazzles In La Brea

Making her Grade I debut and just her second start in stakes company, Usha (Tiz the Law) dazzled through the final two furlongs to romp home in the GI La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Sunday, giving her sire his first Grade I winner. A highly-touted debut runner during the Del Mar summer in 2024, the $600,000 OBS April grad has the unfortunate luck of running behind several classier stablemates including the likes of GISW Tenma (Nyquist) and GSW Non Compliant (Tiz the Law). Being a New York-bred, Usha then...

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Nysos Edges Nevada Beach to Win Laffit Pincay Stakes

  Nysos (Nyquist) followed up on his win in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with a thrilling victory over stablemate Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) in the GII Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes on Santa Anita's delayed opening-day card Sunday. Sent off the 1-5 favorite, Nysos was a little flat-footed at the break, but recovered quickly to track pacesetting Vodka Vodka (Stay Thirsty) from the rail, with Nevada Beach parked just to his outside. Vodka Vodka was pressed by Bartholdy (Mendelssohn) through a quarter in :24.00 and a half in :48.44....

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Well-Bred Munnings Colt Set For Debut As Santa Anita Opens

2nd-SA, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 2:31 p.m. ET. NEWTON (Munnings) went through the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale ring and brought $975,000. Sent to Bob Baffert, the colt is out of $1.2-million buy Secret Jewel (Bernardini), whose other progeny include GSW Twenty Carat (Into Mischief) and SW Point Proven (Gun Runner). Secret Jewel's half-sisters include Canadian GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap), MGSW Sparkle Blue (Hard Spun) and last but not least GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf victress Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect)--herself the dam of GI Breeders' Cup...

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