Bob Baffert
Looking to collect his second graded stakes win of the season, Havnameltdown proved he was up to the task with a professional score over stablemate Newgate in Sunday's GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar. One of three Baffert trainees in the short five-horse field, Havnameltdown and Hard to Figure (Hard Spun), breaking from the inside two gates, broke cleanly while Practical Move, exiting stall 6, was pinched back as the converging Newgate and Mixto (Good Magic) made their exit. The overly headstrong Hard to Figure proved hard to handle...
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez won a pair of races on the opening day of the Bing Crosby meet at Del Mar and his presence is something that Southern California is about to get more used to. The 50-year-old is using his time at Del Mar as a steppingstone to the winter stand at Santa Anita Park, where he plans to ride full time. "I wanted to get it started here so the trainers and owners know I'm going to be here for the winter," Velazquez told the Del...
Trainer Bob Baffert has accounted for seven of the last 11 winners of the GIII Bob Hope S., including two of the final three renewals when the race was known as the Hollywood Prevue S., and three out of the last four during the Bing Crosby meet capped by 'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker) 12 months ago. It would appear that this year's running also goes through the Baffert shedrow, which sends out three of the seven entrants. Havnameltdown (Uncaptured) is the most accomplished of the trio and is...
GSW & MGISP American Freedom (Pulpit--Gottcha Last, by Pleasant Tap) has been sold to Bob and Tyree Wolesensky's Leadem Farm and will stand stud in Arkansas beginning the 2023 breeding season. American Freedom will command a stud fee of $3,500 LF. He stood at Airdrie Stud his first four seasons. The purchase was facilitated by Brock Martin and Steve Castagnola of Taylor Made Sales Agency. "We wanted to find the perfect match for Arkansas breeders and we are very happy with this beautiful son of Pulpit," Tyree Wolesensky, President of...
Sent right to the front after a fast beginning by jockey Flavian Prat, FAIZA (Girvin--Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike), a $725,000 2-year-old purchase out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, hooked up early with Teena Ella (War Front) and outlasted her rival to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status on debut. The pair kept the pace honest, covering the first quarter in :21.92 as Teena Ella, the daughter of four-time champion Beholder, stuck a head in front and the top two pulled several lengths clear of the rest of the field....
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 5:00 p.m. The third foal out of four-time champion Beholder (Henny Hughes), TEENA ELLA (War Front) debuts Saturday for the same connections as her dam, owner/breeder Spendthrift Farm and trainer Richard Mandella. Beholder, herself out of blue hen Leslie's Lady (Tricky Creek), is a half-sister to the likes of GISW & top-10 freshman sire Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) as well as GISW & perennial leading sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday). The first of...
Gunned from the middle of the gate by jockey John Velazquez, Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) took over from the opening strides and never gave his opponents a chance, winning at first asking by 7 1/4 lengths to kick off Saturday's Breeders' Cup card with a bang and become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' for Bob Baffert and Zedan Racing Stables. The $2.3-million sale-topper at OBS April after a sharp :9 4/5 breeze, Arabian Knight went off with plenty of hype as the 3-5 favorite in a deep field...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-KEE, $150K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 10:30 a.m. After working an eighth of a mile in a blazing :9 4/5, ARABIAN KNIGHT (Uncle Mo) achieved a final bid of a sale-topping $2.3 million from Zedan Racing Stables at this year's OBS April Sale after fetching $250,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The first foal out of a half-sister to MGSP Kinsley Kisses (Congrats), the bay posted a trio of speedy works...
LEXINGTON, KY - Led by unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit), the 39th Breeders' Cup World Championships--consisting of 14 races with purses and awards totaling more than $31 million-- return to Keeneland for a third time with a two-day run beginning Friday. Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s--does it get any better than that?--are expected for the 'Future Stars Friday' program. Cave Rock (Arrogate) will put his unbeaten mark on the line for Bob Baffert in the Juvenile while Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) headlines a wide-open renewal of the Juvenile Fillies....
LEXINGTON, KY - With Keeneland's illuminated grandstand apron already beginning to fill up, Breeders' Cup weekend's main attraction Flightline (Tapit) once again kickstarted training hours with another spirited 1 1/4-mile gallop just after 6 a.m. After having a quarter crack patched on Wednesday, fellow Classic runner and future Airdie stallion Happy Saver (Super Saver) returned to the track for light training shortly thereafter. The Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Gunite (Gun Runner) (Dirt Mile) and champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) made a big impression beneath the lights as temperatures hovered...
Fort Warren (c, 2, Curlin--La Appassionata, by Bernardini), a $550,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, took race-long pressure through fast internal fractions and clung on gamely late to graduate at first asking Sunday at Santa Anita en route to the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. He is the 22nd 'Rising Star' for his leading Hill 'n' Dale-based stallion. Away only fairly from the inside gate, Fort Warren had to be used some by go-to rider Juan Hernandez, but speared through to take up the running and covered the opening couple of furlongs...
John Velazquez wouldn't give a definitive answer on where Gamine (Into Mischief - Peggy Jane, Kafwain) ranks on the list of all-stars the Hall of Fame jockey has been associated with over the years, but he came pretty close. Asked how the champion sprinter stacks up against a long line of high-class fillies he has ridden to Grade I success, he responded, "She's definitely one of the top ones. Like definitely one or two, I would say." That answer is high praise coming from the two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey, who...