Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘See How He Stacks Up’: Baffert Sending Spielberg For Florida Derby

Multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed Spielberg has joined the star cast of scheduled starters for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old son of Union Rags is scheduled to clash with Holy Bull (G3) and Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G1) winner Greatest Honour in the 1 1/8-mile stakes that has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events.

“We'll see how he stacks up,” Baffert said Friday.

Spielberg, who is scheduled to breeze Sunday at Santa Anita before shipping to South Florida, finished second behind Eclipse champion Essential Quality in the Feb. 27 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park following a poor start.

“He's a great-feeling horse,” Baffert said. “He came out of that race in great shape.”

In his 2021 debut, the Kentucky-bred colt stumbled at the start of the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit.

“He needs to get away from the gate well,” said Baffert of Spielberg's chances of winning the Florida Derby.

Spielberg had a productive six-race juvenile campaign, in which he finished second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and third in the American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita before breaking is maiden in his fourth start. He went on to win the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) two starts later.

Spielberg was purchased for $1 million at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable LLC, Golconda Stables, Sienna Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.

In addition to Greatest Honour and Spielberg, the Florida Derby field is likely to include Collaborate, Known Agenda, Nova Rags, Soup and Sandwich, Papetu, Quantum Leap, Jirafales and Siglioso.

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GSW Spielberg Confirmed for Florida Derby

SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's Spielberg (Union Rags) has been confirmed to contest the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old is expected to face GIII Holy Bull S. and GI Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (Tapit) in the nine-furlong test that has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events.

“We'll see how he stacks up,” Baffert said Friday.

Spielberg, who is scheduled to breeze at Santa Anita Sunday before shipping to South Florida, most recently finished a well-beaten second behind Eclipse champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in the Feb. 27 GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park.

“He's a great-feeling horse,” Baffert said about the colt's latest start. “He came out of that race in great shape.”

In his 2021 debut, the $1-million KEESEP purchase stumbled at the start of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit (Protonico).

“He needs to get away from the gate well,” said Baffert of Spielberg's chances of winning the Florida Derby.

During his juvenile campaign, Spielberg finished second in the GI Del Mar Futurity and third in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita before breaking is maiden in his fourth start. He went on to win the GII Los Alamitos Futurity.

The post GSW Spielberg Confirmed for Florida Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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NBC Sports To Provide Exclusive Coverage Of Saturday’s Louisiana Derby

With the Kentucky Derby less than 50 days away, NBCSN presents exclusive live coverage of the $1 million Louisiana Derby this Saturday, March 20 at 6 p.m. ET from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisiana Derby kicks off NBC Sports' “Road to the Kentucky Derby” coverage on four consecutive Saturday afternoons on NBCSN. NBC Sports will present the 147th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Exactly six weeks ahead of the May 1 running of the Kentucky Derby, the grade 2 Louisiana Derby marks the first prep race awarding Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 scale for the top four finishers. John Velazquez, who rode 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, rides Proxy (7-2) in the eight-horse field.

Britney Eurton hosts Saturday's coverage, alongside analysts Jerry Bailey, the Hall of Fame jockey who has twice won the Louisiana Derby, and Randy Moss.

Saturday's coverage will include an interview with trainer Bob Baffert from his barn at Santa Anita as he prepares several top contenders for the Kentucky Derby. With a win in this year's Derby, Baffert would earn his seventh career Kentucky Derby victory, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for the most ever by a trainer.

NBCSN will also present the Fair Grounds Oaks on Saturday, one of the major prep races on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks.”

Coverage will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.

Following is NBC Sports' upcoming “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep race schedule on NBCSN:

Race	Date	Time (ET)
Louisiana Derby	Sat., March 20	6 p.m.
Florida Derby	Sat., March 27	6 p.m.
Wood Memorial, Bluegrass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby	Sat., April 3	5:30 p.m.
Arkansas Derby	Sat., April 10	7 p.m.

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Cezanne Working Towards Comeback

Cezanne (Curlin), who topped the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale when bringing a final bid of $3.65 million from M.V. Magnier, is training steadily for his return to the races, most recently working five furlongs in 1:00.00 (4/21) Thursday at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert.

“He's doing well,” Baffert reported following the work Thursday. “We just freshened him up.”

Racing for Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, as well as co-breeder St. Elias Stable, Cezanne opened his career with a 2 1/4-length victory going 6 1/2 furlongs last June at Santa Anita. He followed up with a one-mile allowance victory at Los Alamitos in July, but suffered his first loss when fourth behind Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) in the Aug. 1 Shared Belief S. at Del Mar.

Thursday's work was Cezanne's third of the month. The 4-year-old worked a bullet five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.00 (1/29) at Santa Anita Mar. 3 and went five furlongs in :59.80 (2/19) Mar. 9.

While no specific spot has been picked out for the colt's return, Baffert said, “He's getting close to a race soon.”

Cezanne worked a furlong in :10 flat before his sale-topping turn at the Gulfstream sale two years ago. Bred by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and St. Elias Stables, he is out of Achieving (Bernardini), a half-sister to Grade I winner Streaming (Smart Strike). His third dam is blue hen mare Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister).

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