‘Very Excited, And A Little Bit Nervous’: Baffert Readies Maximum Security For San Diego Handicap

Asked about champion Maximum Security during Wednesday's media teleconference organized by the NTRA, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert admitted to mixed feelings ahead of the colt's start in Saturday's Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.

“When I see him train, he trains like a really top horse,” Baffert said. “That's what I see, and I'm actually very excited, and a little bit nervous. I feel a little added pressure; there's a lot of pressure when you're around good horses.”

In his most recent start, the Gary and Mary West homebred won the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup over Midnight Bisou. Since that effort at the end of February, the story around Maximum Security shifted from his historic Kentucky Derby disqualification in 2019 to the federal indictment of his former trainer, Jason Servis, on March 9, 2020.

Maximum Security was given a full medical evaluation and some down time, then transferred to Baffert's care in Southern California. His first gallop for Baffert was in late April; his first work not until June 1.

In his first start for Baffert, the 4-year-old son of New Year's Day will face a field of six others going 1 1/16 miles over Del Mar's main track. Maximum Security will break from post position five under a new rider, Abel Cedillo.

Regular jockey Luis Saez would be aboard the colt, except that he recently returned a positive test for COVID-19 and will be quarantined for the next two weeks. That left Baffert searching for a new rider, and his go-to big race jockey Mike Smith was already booked to be in New Jersey to ride Authentic in the Haskell.

Cedillo had committed to ride a horse for Mark Glatt in the San Diego, but Glatt let him out of the commitment when the trainer decided not to run his horse against Maximum Security.

“He sort of has the same kind of style [as Saez]; he's a strong rider, he's aggressive,” Baffert said of Cedillo. “He won on Fighting Mad for Gary and Mary West [the G2 Santa Maria on May 30 at Santa Anita], and he's won some races for me. He can handle pressure. I'm happy that I have him here.”

As is typical of Servis' style, Maximum Security had been used to turning in slow and steady morning workouts, more like two-minute licks than speedy breezes. Over the past six weeks, Baffert has focused on acclimating the colt to his style of training, working a bit faster, and his most recent breeze was a sharp five-furlong move in :59.60 on July 11 at Del Mar.

“To be around, he's a big, strong, beautiful horse,” Baffert said. “He's been doing everything well.”

Still, Baffert told the Paulick Report over the weekend that the colt may need a race, coming off the five-month break since the Saudi Cup.

“I feel I've done as much with him as I can for this,” Baffert said on Sunday. “I've been working him in company. He's a lazy horse in the morning and I can see now why they may ran him for $16,000 (maiden claiming) first out. He's a really smart horse; a lot of class, and a really intelligent horse.”

Maximum Security has been assigned 127 pounds under the handicap conditions of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, five more than Higher Power (winner of the G1 Pacific Classic in 2019) and Midcourt (G2 San Pasqual winner in 2020). No horse since Native Diver toted 131 pounds in 1965 has carried more weight in winning the San Diego Handicap. California Chrome won under 126 pounds in 2016 in his first start since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup.

The San Diego Handicap field from the rail with jockeys and weights in parenthesis: Higher Power (TBD, 122); Ax Man (J.C. Diaz, Jr., 118); Midcourt (Juan Hernandez, 122); Dark Vader (Umberto Rispoli, 118); Maximum Security (Abel Cedillo, 127); Combatant (Drayden Van Dyke, 121) and Sharp Samurai (Edwin Maldonado, 119).

The post ‘Very Excited, And A Little Bit Nervous’: Baffert Readies Maximum Security For San Diego Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Can New Kids On The Block Challenge Prat’s Del Mar Dominance?

In the past two summer seasons at Del Mar the jockey title has been a duel between Flavien Prat and Drayden Van Dyke with each rider prevailing once.

It could happen again.

But Derek Lawson, agent for defending champion Prat, has noted the emergence of some ambitious newcomers on the Southern California circuit and cautions against jumping to a two-man conclusion for the 2020 season that starts today.

“It will be extremely competitive,” Lawson said by telephone Thursday. “I hope we (Prat) do well enough to win. But it's not a slam dunk for anybody.”

Prat tied Rafael Bejarano for the 2016 summer title with 38 wins, led the 2017 meet outright over Bejarano with 35, relinquished the crown to Van Dyke in 2018 by a 42-37 margin and grabbed it back, 42-32, over Van Dyke a year ago.

Prat, a native of Melun, France, who turns 28 next month, has maintained his Southern California circuit dominance and high national profile following a 2019 season in which he won the Kentucky Derby, via disqualification, and a meet-leading 10 stakes victories during the Del Mar summer. He won the Santa Anita winter-spring riding championship with 90 wins over the course of the COVID-interrupted December-to-June season.

Through Thursday, Prat ranks seventh nationally with 97 wins from 372 starters (26 percent) and purse earnings of more than $5.3 million according to Equibase statistics.

To stay at the top this summer, however, Prat will have to fend off a foursome that has put up some impressive 2020 numbers as well. A rundown, with statistics in parenthesis and comments from Lawson.

Abel Cedillo—(No. 14 nationally, 61 wins from 419 starts, 15%, $3.6 million in purses). “He's proven that the move down from Northern California last year was the right one for him and his family and he's in a position to continue to make his mark.”

Van Dyke – (No. 25, 35 for 212, 17 percent, $2.6 million). “He's always going to be at or near the top, especially here. He rides for Bob Baffert and will be on a lot of the very good 2-year-olds Bob breaks out here every year.”

Umberto Rispoli – (No. 27, 50 for 269, 19 percent, $2.5 million). The Italian champion, 31, a veteran of racing in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong decided to come to America and race at Santa Anita last winter. “He's a very good rider, obviously, and he adds an international flavor – with Flavien from France and him from Italy – to the meet.”

Juan Hernandez – (No. 31, 134 for 444, 30 percent, $2.2 million). “He follows the path of Cedillo last year and if you look at the statistics, he's No. 1 in the country for wins. So, obviously, he knows how to get the job done.”

Forty-two wins secured the title the last two years. Lawson, prone to set goals, hopes to book Prat on 50 winners this summer. He realizes it's a high bar.

“It's a shorter season and there won't be fans in the stands,” Lawson pointed out. “That's the same for everybody. The disadvantage for us could be going out of town, but I'm not looking to do it very often. It's going to take hard work, staying focused and some luck no matter what.”

The post Can New Kids On The Block Challenge Prat’s Del Mar Dominance? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Honor A.P. Performance, Prat Dominance Highlight Interrupted Santa Anita Meet

With $5,649,128 in new money wagered, Sunday's total 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot pool reached $6,738,964, with the result being a mandatory closing day payout of $12,304.70 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Sunday's seventh race, the first leg of the Rainbow Pick Six, was the $150,000 Melair Stakes, which was won by Warren's Showtime, who paid $10.60 to win.  Including the Melair, the Rainbow Six sequence was determined thusly:  R7 #6, $10.60, R8 #10, $6.20, R9 #3, $11.60, R10 #4, $16.80, R11 #2, $3.20 and R12 #5, $25.20.

Santa Anita's 60-day Winter/Spring Meeting, which began on Dec. 28 and was closed due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic from March 27 until the track was allowed to reopen without fans on May 15, played host to a number of great performances, perhaps highlighted by Honor A.P.'s stirring victory in the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on June 6, a performance that stamped him a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

On the human side of things, French native Flavien Prat, 27, ran away with the jockeys' title, winning 90 races, 29 more than runner-up Abel Cedillo.  Additionally, Prat, who notched his second career Winter/Spring title, dead heated with Mike Smith for most stakes wins, with 14.

In the trainers' division, Peter Miller got his first Santa Anita Winter/Spring crown, outrunning  Bob Baffert, 35 to 33, while Baffert led Miller in stakes-won 10-8.

Live racing will return to Santa Anita on Friday, Sept. 11.  Fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com for updates, or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Honor A.P. Performance, Prat Dominance Highlight Interrupted Santa Anita Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Golden Gate’s Perennial Leading Rider Juan Hernandez Shifting Tack To Southern California

News broke Wednesday morning that perennial Golden Gate Fields leading rider Juan Hernandez will be shifting his tack full-time to Southern California beginning with the second week of the upcoming Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meeting, which spans July 3, 4, and 5.

Hernandez, 28, will be joining forces with longtime agent Craig O'Bryan, who has been idle since Tyler Baze opted for the Oaklawn/Kentucky circuit over a year ago.

“I got a call, asking if I'd be interested in representing Juan,” said O'Bryan. “I said, 'When can he get down here?' The phone is already ringing and I truly believe our business will continue to grow as people see, first-hand, just how good he is.”

How good is Juan Hernandez?

With 135 wins from 429 mounts, he led his nearest competitor by some 77 wins at the conclusion of Golden Gate Fields' 72-day Winter/Spring Meeting this past Sunday, winning at a 31 percent clip. Many racing insiders have been wondering when he was going to make the move to So Cal for some time now, particularly in view of the tremendous success former No Cal rider Abel Cedillo has enjoyed over the past year riding full-time at Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos.

“I'm really excited to come and ride with that colony down there,” said Hernandez by phone from Northern California on Thursday. “My wife's family lives in Ontario, near Santa Anita, so our kids will be spending the summer with them. Craig came very highly recommended. I think it's a big plus to go with him because he's had many top riders and he knows everyone down there, he knows the business.”

A 28-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico, Hernandez, who is married, Melissa, and has two boys aged five and two, had 1,882 wins from 8,726 career mounts through Sunday and with just Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Luis Saez in front of him, he is currently America's third winningest jockey in 2020, with more than 125 wins through this past weekend.

O'Bryan, who enjoyed an eight-year run with Baze, is a second generation agent, following in the footsteps of his legendary father George “Black Heart” O'Bryan.

With a past client list that reads like a Who's Who of Turfdom, Craig O'Bryan has represented Hall of Famers Eddie Delahoussaye (for an incredible eight-year run that included back to back Kentucky Derby victories with Gato del Sol in 1982 and Sunny's Halo in 1983), Alex Solis and Gary Stevens (2013 Breeders' Cup Classic with Mucho Macho Man and 2013 Distaff with Beholder), as well as David Flores, Corey Nakatani, Jose Valdivia, Jr., Aaron Gryder and Baze.

“I've been doing this for 48 years, since 1972,” said O'Bryan. “The main thing now, is that people need to know that Juan is coming here permanently, this isn't just for the summer. For me personally, it's a great opportunity and it's great to be back in action.”

The post Golden Gate’s Perennial Leading Rider Juan Hernandez Shifting Tack To Southern California appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights