Jill Baffert

Brad Cox always seems to be loaded when it comes to top 3-year-old fillies, and he's got another good one in Life of Joy (Gun Runner), who pulled off an impressive victory in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. With the GII Fantasy Stakes and the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks on tap this week, the picture for the GI Kentucky Oaks should become all the more clear. So, here goes, your latest Top 10: 1) ZANY (American Pharoah--Mo' Green, by Uncle Mo) O-Repole Stable; B-D.J. Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history:...

Jill Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso), the 2-5 favorite, survived a steward's inquiry to secure 20 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Oaks with her victory in the Sunland Park Oaks Sunday evening in New Mexico. Winner of last year's GI Del Mar Debutante, Bouttle of Rouge was making her first start since finishing sixth in the Oct. 31 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. The gray filly stalked the pace three wide as Cashed (I'll Have Another) took the field through fractions of :23.85 and :46.80....

The betting public had Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante down to a battle of Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Stars' Explora (Blame) and Himika (Curlin), but Jill Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso)--easily the least-fancied of a trio from that barn--proved best on the afternoon, causing a 9-1 upset. Veering in at the break, the $60,000 Keeneland November weanling and $100,000 Keeneland September yearling took up a mid-field berth in the early stages as 3-5 Explora rolled up at the fence to take up the running, while Himika sat a good...

4th-Santa Anita, $60,000, Msw, 12-27, 3, 4,/5yo, 6f, 1:09.03, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. MARCH OF TIME (c, 3, Justify--Untouched Talent {GSW & GISP, $243,550}, by Storm Cat) went missing for over a year after finishing a strong second on his lone other appearance to date at Los Alamitos, but made up for lost time Friday, sprinting clear through the final eighth of a mile to graduate in sharp time. Very quickly into stride for Juan Hernandez, the beautifully bred bay was displaced on the front end by the debuting $725,000...

4th-SA, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, post time: 4:32 p.m. ET Zedan Racing Stables' COLLMUS (Gun Runner), purchased for $2.2 million at the 2023 OBS April sale, makes his belated debut for trainer Bob Baffert. The bay colt is out of Perfect Wife (Majesticperfection) and is a full-brother to GIII Indiana Oaks winner Runaway Wife. John Shirreffs saddles C R K Stable's firster Pursuit of Freedom (Speightstown). The gelding was purchased for $725,000 at Keeneland September in 2022. The 3-5 favorite is March of Time (Justify), who makes his first start...

Du Jour worked out a perfect trip under Flavien Prat to provide Bob Baffert with a rare graded stakes winner on the turf. A debut second on the Del Mar lawn last November behind next-out stakes winner Cathkin Peak (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}), the bay was third when switched to the Santa Anita main track Jan. 3 behind subsequent GIII Robert B. Lewis S. runner-up Roman Centurian (Empire Maker). He broke through back on the lawn in Arcadia Feb. 19, and doubled up after setting pace in a Mar. 28 optional...

Santa Anita's backstretch community, led by such trainers as Bob Baffert and Doug O'Neill, descended upon downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning outside the LA County Board of Supervisors meeting building to put a human face to calls for the resumption of live racing at the Arcadia track. Around 50-60 people attended the demonstration. In a speech captured on video--and posted online--Baffert said that he'd like to see racing open again to help the families who work so hard on the backstretch and who are following proper social-distancing protocols. The board...