Bob Baffert
Renegade (Into Mischief), a spectacular, come-from-behind winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the GI Arkansas Derby, was tabbed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite despite drawing the rail in a field of 20 set for next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides. Renegade, a $975,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is campaigned in partnership by Repole Stable and breeders Robert and Lawana Low. Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby twice with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017). The last horse to win the...
Chip Honcho (Connect), winner of the Gun Runner Stakes and a close second in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds will bypass the GI Kentucky Derby in favor of the May 16 running of the GI Preakness Stakes, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. With the defection of Chip Honcho, GSW Litmus Test (Nyquist) will now drawn in for the big race. The colt's Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was asked early on Saturday morning what "Plan B" was if...
The record-breaking $10.5-million Flightline 2-year-old colt purchased last week at the OBS April Sale has officially been named Zedan. The name was announced on social media via the Zedan Racing Stables page in a note that read, "The Flightline colt out of Lucrezia that we purchased at @OBSSales has been named #ZEDAN. Mr. Bob Baffert selected the name after meeting Amr's father, H.E. Dr. Fareed M. Zedan, during his visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two hit it off wonderfully and Bob selected the name ZEDAN as a kind gesture...
Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), winner of last year's GI American Pharoah Stakes, worked four furlongs in :47.20 (2/97) at Santa Anita Sunday and will ship to Churchill Downs with connections hoping to gain a spot in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. "I didn't [expect that]," trainer Jeff Mullins said of the work, which was quicker than he had anticipated. "But we often get what we don't expect." The colt currently sits 22nd on the qualifying Derby points leaderboard and will need two defections to make the field for the race....
The Flightline colt who sold for a record-setting $10.5 million at the OBS Spring sale Friday arrived at the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert Saturday night shortly before 9 p.m. "He's a specimen," Baffert said Sunday morning. "A man among boys really. And with his pedigree, you know why he cost so much." Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the sales ticket for the colt on behalf of Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing. The purchase price shattered the all-time OBS record of $3 million, which Zedan paid for Grade I...
3rd-KEE, $120k, Alw, 3yo/up, f, 5 1/2fT, 2:04p.m. ET Last seen a half-length shy of becoming a Grade I winner in just her second start, Hot Mash (Not This Time) will make her return to the races in this Keeneland contest against an experienced field of older fillies. Racing in this turf dash with Lasix for the first time, the daughter of red-hot Not This Time broke her maiden Aug. 11 at Ellis Park by an eye-catching 7 3/4 lengths after stalking the pacesetter through a brisk :20.27 opening quarter....
There's breaking records, and then there's what happened midway through Friday's final session at OBS April. After a week of build up, the bidding came to a head as a son of Flightline (hip 1056) absolutely demolished the OBS record, selling to Amr Zedan for an eye-watering $10,500,000. "There was a lot of hype on this horse and he followed through with the hype," said bloodstock agent Donato Lanni. "When he worked, everybody got on the rail and watched, and he delivered. Bob [Baffert] loved him. [Flightline] is one of...
A pair of very talented, unbeaten 3-year-olds could potentially face off in the GII Pat Day Mile S. on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs. Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) will take his two-for-two record to Louisville for Bob Baffert following a powerful, 6 3/4-length victory over older horses in an optional claimer at Santa Anita Saturday. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The $250,000 OBS June graduate previously overcame an impossible trip to win at first asking by a neck Mar. 7, good for 'TDN Rising...
Speedway Stables' undefeated Cavalieri (Nyquist--Stiffed, by Stephen Got Even) has been retired from racing, with John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm acquiring a majority share in the Grade I winner. "She was a perfect five for five, an amazing talent and an alpha female, who thrilled us, each and every time she waltzed past her competition," said Speedway's Peter Fluor. "In light of the fact she has nothing more to prove race wise, it was considered appropriate timing to breed her. It has been a pleasure to be part of...
It was a fantastic week for fast maidens--the top five all registered 92+ on the Beyer scale. 5) OUT OF THE WOODS, OP, 4/3-7th, 1 1/16m VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure-92 (g, 3, Constitution--Sensitive, by Divine Park) O-Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, Panic Stable and William Strauss. B-Daniel Burke and Kathleen Burke Schweizer (Ky). T-Phil D'Amato. J-Ramon Vazquez. After repeatedly running into Baffert buzzsaws, Out of the Woods was sent to Oaklawn for higher purses and softer maidens. His recent sharp breezes indicated the change might be positive, and he...
Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), already named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for his debut win over course and distance March 7, stepped up to face winners Saturday for the first time. Racing without his blinkers as the 1-2 favorite, the Triple Crown-nominated colt had early traffic to deal with as he sat off the pace from just behind a leading pair past the half-mile pole. Circling the field under his own power, he easily headed For All Mankind (Into Mischief) off the far turn and opened up in...
Further Ado (Gun Runner) announced his presence with a jaw-dropping 20-length maiden win at Keeneland last fall. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' returns to Lexington as the horse to beat in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., good for 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Spendthrift Farm colorbearer was a workmanlike winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 29, then kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a solid second-place finish behind The Puma (Essential...