Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medina Spirit Appears Likely To Return In Sunday’s Shared Belief Stakes

Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit recorded a bullet five-furlong move in 58 3/5 seconds on Monday at Del Mar, and the Daily Racing Form reports that the colt could make his first start of the summer in this Sunday's $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes.

The 3-year-old son of Protonico has not raced since finishing third in the G1 Preakness Stakes. Regular rider John Velazquez is expected to be up for trainer Bob Baffert. Others nominated for the Shared Belief include: Rock Your World, Stiletto Boy, The Great One, Classier, Defunded, Bobby Bo, Double Tough Tiger, Hudson Ridge, Isolate, It's My House, Laurel River, Mr. Impossible, Team Merchants, and Willy the Cobbler.

Baffert told Del Mar publicity on Saturday that the G1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 25 is the primary fall target for Medina Spirit, but that he was considering a local prep race depending on the outcome of Monday's workout.

Medina Spirit's Kentucky Derby win is in jeopardy due to a positive post-race test result for betamethasone, a therapeutic medication that is not allowed on race day. Baffert and his attorney have claimed the positive is a result of a topical cream used to treat a case of dermatitis on the colt's hindquarters. Though the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not yet held a hearing, required to disqualify Medina Spirit, but Baffert and his attorney have already filed suit against the commission asking a judge to grant further testing of the post-race samples.

Additional stories about Baffert's Kentucky Derby positive and ensuing legal battles can be found here.

Private Mission Much The Best In Torrey Pines At Del Mar

Private Mission added graded stakes winner to her resume with her win in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. Ridden by leading jockey Flavien Prat, the daughter of Into Mischief took the lead entering the far turn and sailed away to an easy 6 1/2-length victory for owner Baoma Corporation and trainer Bob Baffert.

Breaking from the outside post, Prat held Private Mission a half-length off of early leader Lady Mystify as the Peter Eurton-trained filly logged fractions of :22.28 for the first quarter-mile and :46.71 for the half-mile. As the field of seven rounded the final turn, Private Mission took over, moving past Lady Mystify under a hand ride from Prat. Into the stretch, she stretched her advantage out with ease, the field unable able to mount any serious challenge. I'm So Anna was second and Forest Caraway took third. Lisette, Lady Mystify, Day Plan, and Jeanne B rounded out the field.

The final time for the one-mile Torrey Pine was 1:37.89. Find this race's chart here.

Private Mission paid $4.00, $3.20, and $2.20. I'm So Anna paid $6.00 and $2.80. Forest Caraway paid $2.10.

“She broke really well from the gate and put me right into the race. She got a little aggressive down the backstretch, so I gave her a little bit of a breather until the turn for home,” Flavien Prat said after the race. “When I asked her, she really dug in and got it done. She won pretty easily.”

“We didn't know what she was going to do, but we always thought she could run long. This was a good spot and she passed the route test. That's very important. That's where all the money is,” Baffert commented after the Torrey Pines.

Bred in Kentucky by Mount Brilliant Broodmares, Private Missions is by leading sire Into Mischief out of the Unbridled mare Private Gift. Consigned by Lane's End, Baoma Corporation, the nom du course for Charles Chu, paid $750,000 for Private Mission at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. With three wins in four lifetime starts, the 3-year-old filly has career earnings of $136,800.

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Medina Spirit Possible for Pennsylvania Derby

Medina Spirit (Protonico), unraced since a third-place finish behind Rombauer (Twirling Candy) in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15, was not among the nominees to the Aug. 29 Shared Belief S., but may be ready for the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25, trainer Bob Baffert said Saturday.

“There have been rumors about that horse since May 1,” Baffert said with a laugh this morning. “There has been a lot of talk about that horse. He's going to breeze this week and I'll know more after that. I go work-by-work with him. I'm looking at the Pennsylvania Derby, maybe as an option. [The question becomes], do I give him a race here? I'm going to let him tell me, the horse will let me know.”

Runner-up to then-stablemate Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 6 and to Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 3, Medina Spirit defied odds of 12-1 to cross the line first in the GI Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. The horse–and his trainer–have since been embroiled in controversy regarding a betamethasone positive that was returned post-race and which has yet to be adjudicated.

The post Medina Spirit Possible for Pennsylvania Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Baffert Considers Next Start For Medina Spirit, Gamine, Classier Work

The rumors on the backstretch were too persistent to ignore. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, they said, was going to run Kentucky Derby winner (pending rulings and litigation) Medina Spirit in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, a one-mile main track event for 3-year-olds here on August 29.

“There have been rumors about that horse since May 1,” Baffert said with a laugh this morning. “There has been a lot of talk about that horse.

“He's going to breeze this week and I'll know more after that. I go work-by-work with him. I'm looking at the Pennsylvania Derby, maybe as an option. (The question becomes) Do I give him a race here? I'm going to let him tell me, the horse will let me know.”

Medina Spirit was not among the 14 nominated for the Shared Belief by Thursday night's deadline. Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World notably was, and trainer John Sadler said that will be the next assignment for the son of Candy Ride. Supplemental entries, at a cost of $1,000, can be made up to closing time of entries next Friday morning.

The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, a 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds, is set for September 25 at Parx, formerly Philadelphia Park, in Bensalem, Penn.

Classier, another of Baffert's talented 3-year-olds, worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.00 this morning and will run here in either the Shared Belief or next Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes, a seven-furlong extended sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

Yet another Baffert standout, Gamine, worked six furlongs in 1:12.00 with an eye toward next week's Ballerina at Saratoga and Baffert's As Time Goes By, a winner of two stakes at the Santa Anita meeting, covered five furlongs in a bullet :58.80.

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