Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Protonico Colt Keeps Finding for Baffert in Bob Lewis

MEDINA SPIRIT (c, 3, Protonico–Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed) looked to be in deep water throughout the stretch of Santa Anita's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Saturday, but somehow the pacesetter held off two challengers to get his head down on the line. Roman Centurian (Empire Maker) and Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) were second and third, respectively. The final time was 1:46.26. Favored at even money, Medina Spirit was last seen finishing second to his highly regarded stablemate Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GIII Sham S. here Jan. 2. He broke his maiden first out in a Los Al sprint Dec. 11. This was trainer Bob Baffert's record ninth Lewis win, and the first black-type win for young sire Protonico (Giant's Causeway). Sales history: $1,000 ylg '19 OBSWIN; $35,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0.
O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc. B-Gail Rice (FL). T-Bob Baffert.

Saturday, Santa Anita
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GIII, $100,500, Santa Anita, 1-30, 3yo,
1 1/16m, 1:46.26, gd.
1–MEDINA SPIRIT, 120, c, 3, by Protonico
                1st Dam: Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed
                2nd Dam: Bridled, by Unbridled
                3rd Dam: Holy Niner, by Holy Bull
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($1,000 Ylg
'19 OBSWIN; $35,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Zedan Racing
Stables Inc; B-Gail Rice (FL); T-Bob Baffert; J-Abel Cedillo.
$60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $105,200. Werk Nick
   Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Roman Centurian, 120, c, 3, Empire Maker–Spare Change, by
Bernardini. ($550,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Don Alberto Stable
and Qatar Racing Limited; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY);
T-Simon Callaghan. $20,000.
3–Hot Rod Charlie, 120, c, 3, Oxbow–Indian Miss, by Indian
Charlie. ($17,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $110,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT).
O-Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and Strauss, William;
B-Edward A. Cox (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $12,000.
Margins: NK, NO, 11. Odds: 1.00, 11.20, 2.50.
Also Ran: Spielberg, Parnelli, Wipe the Slate. Scratched: Rombauer, Waspirant. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Baffert Shoots for Record Ninth Robert B. Lewis Victory

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will have two shots at adding to his growing record with a potential ninth win in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita.

The improving $1-million Keeneland September graduate Spielberg (Union Rags), MGISP as a juvenile, posted a hard-fought, breakthrough nose victory in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time Dec. 19. The runner-up that day The Great One (Nyquist), meanwhile, returned with a flashy, 14-length maiden victory for trainer Doug O'Neill last weekend, good for a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Baffert will also saddle Medina Spirit (Protonico), who cut his highly regarded unbeaten stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief)'s margin of victory to just 3/4 of a length second time out in the GIII Sham S. Jan. 2.

Medina Spirit, the morning-line favorite at 5-2, has been assigned the rail while Spielberg drew widest of all in post eight.

“I don't like being stuck inside, and on the outside, you lose ground, but I think we'll learn more about both horses,” Baffert said. “Right now, we're just trying to figure out their styles and how good they are. They'll start separating themselves. Until they go a mile and an eighth, that's when you'll really know.”

O'Neill will also be represented by a pair of promising sophomores in this deep contest, headed by last out GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile longshot runner-up at 94-1 Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow). The half-brother to champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) previously earned his diploma in game fashion by a neck locally at fourth asking.

O'Neill's other charge Wipe the Slate (Nyquist) tries two turns for the first time. A well-beaten second behind the aforementioned Life Is Good first out Nov. 22, he took a big step forward with a strong maiden win going seven furlongs in Arcadia last time Dec. 26.

Roman Centurian (Empire Maker) received the 'TDN Rising Star' nod following a visually impressive, come-from-behind maiden tally at second asking over course and distance last time Jan. 3. The $550,000 Keeneland September yearling was previously fourth, beaten 12 1/4 lengths, behind Life Is Good and Wipe the Slate at Del Mar.

The Robert B. Lewis carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

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Baffert Pair Sandwich Lewis Field: ‘We’ll Learn More About Both Horses’

There are no “throw outs” in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Everyone came to play.

In arguably one of the most competitive fields in its 83 editions, dating back to 1935 when it was presented as the Santa Catalina Handicap, Saturday's Grade 3 test for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles looms a major steppingstone to the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and awards 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, four to the runner-up, two to the third horse and one point to the fourth.

Drawing an inside post with Medina Spirit and an outside post with Spielberg, Bob Baffert has the field of eight sandwiched, at least on paper. Whether the sandwich contains baloney or filet mignon remains to be seen.

Should Baffert win, it would mark the third straight victory in the Lewis for the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer. He won last year with Thousand Words and in 2019 with Mucho Gusto. Overall, he has won the race a record eight times, dating back to 1999 with General Challenge.

Subsequent winners were Domestic Dispute (2003), Pioneerof the Nile (2009), Flashback (2013), Dortmund (2015), Mor Spirit (2016) and the aforementioned Mucho Gusto and Thousand Words.

Coincidentally, Medina Spirit had the number one post position last out when he was second to Baffert's individual Kentucky Derby Future Book favorite, unbeaten Life Is Good, in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes Jan. 2, while Spielberg had the outside number six post last out Dec. 19 when the $1 million son of Union Rags won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity by a nose over The Great One.

“I'll just let the riders ride their race and see what happens,” Baffert said of the Lewis, in which Abel Cedillo is aboard Medina Spirit for the third consecutive race and Flavien Prat returns on Spielberg for the second time.

Meanwhile, Charlatan worked “really well” Wednesday, going six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.60 as Baffert prepares him for the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20

Responding to newly-crowned Horse of the Year Authentic's victory in the 146th Kentucky Derby being voted the 2020 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on results of 3,403 votes cast on Twitter and an online poll, Baffert concurred.

“Authentic deserves that honor,” Baffert said. “He was the most exciting horse to watch last year.”

The Lewis is named for the late owner and philanthropist whose Silver Charm (co-owned by his wife, Beverly) gave Baffert his first Kentucky Derby win in 1997 (he now has six). The Lewises also won the 1999 Derby with Charismatic, trained by D. Wayne Lukas.

The Lewis, race seven of eight with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Medina Spirit, Abel Cedillo, 5-2; Rombauer, Mike Smith, 8-1; Parnelli, Umberto Rispoli, 12-1; Hot Rod Charlie, Joel Rosario, 3-1; Roman Centurian, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Waspirant, Ricardo Gonzalez, 20-1; Wipe the Slate, Mario Gutierrez, 4-1; and Spielberg, Flavien Prat, 7-2.

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Authentic Named 2020 Horse of the Year

We watched him grow up before our eyes.

Authentic (Into Mischief), freakishly talented, but prone to–well–mischievous behavior during the early part of 2020, was a finished product by year's end and his on-track accomplishments landed him Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old honors at Thursday's Eclipse Awards.

The ceremonies were held virtually, fittingly enough and among other locations, at Spendthrift Farm, who campaigned the Peter Blum-bred son of Flawless (Mr. Greeley) in partnership with the 5300-some micro-share holders of MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing. And Authentic was virtually perfect in 2020, sometimes almost in spite of himself. Sure, he was devastating in the GIII Sham S. in January, even as he negotiated the final furlong like a drunken soldier, and his talent was such that he overcame a stutter-step start to take the GII San Felipe S. in March. As the pandemic tightened its grip, California racing grinded to a halt, forcing connections to hit the pause button on Authentic's season. Honor A. P. (Honor Code) made him pay for a slow start in the GI Santa Anita Derby in June, but he atoned in the GI Haskell S. the following month, looking a winner every step until he returned to his single-minded ways late and barely scraped in.

The takeaway? Surely Authentic would find that 10th furlong of the GI Kentucky Derby a step too far, but, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez at the controls for the first time (Smith elected to stick with the Santa Anita Derby winner), Authentic took them every step at Churchill at juicy odds of 42-5, proving that his all-conquering sire's progeny could indeed stay a Classic distance.

It would be difficult to begrudge him his defeat at the hands of a refuse-to-lose champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) on the square in the GI Preakness S. in early October, but those that remained in his corner were rewarded with an overlaid 4.20-1 in the Nov. 7 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, when Authentic treated a classy field including Eclipse Award winner Improbable (City Zip), former champion Maximum Security (New Year's Day) and GI Belmont S. and Eclipse Award runner-up Tiz the Law (Consititution) to a 2 1/4-length beating.

“This is a big deal for me. I wish all owners could have the same experience and I'm happy to be a part of this,” said Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes. “I think his [stud] career is going to be great. But who knows, God's in charge of that.”

Authentic was one of two Eclipse winners Thursday evening for Into Mischief and becomes the third son of Into Mischief to stand at Spendthrift, joining Goldencents and Maximus Mischief. Authentic hails from the female family of Grade I winners Reynaldothewizard, Seventh Street, American Gal and is bred on a cross over Gone West-line mares responsible for Into Mischief's GISW Mia Mischief and other graded winners Engage, Mischievous Alex, Sombeyay and Strict Compliance.

Gamine Gives Sire A Second Winner…

Michael Lund's 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) was something of a lightning rod in 2020, but she possessed arguably the most raw ability of any horse in training and while she finished a distant runner-up to Swiss Skydiver in the 3-year-old filly category, she easily outdistanced Serengeti Empress (Alternation) to take home the Eclipse for champion female sprinter. The $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper became the second straight daughter of Into Mischief to both win the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint en route to a championship following on the exploits of Covfefe in 2019.

Trainer Bob Baffert had his hands on a third Eclipse winner for 2020 in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip). Denied a potential Horse of the Year crown by his stablemate on the first Saturday in November, the burly chestnut had a phenomenal season of his own, with victories in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita, GI Whitney S. and GI Awesome Again S. Knicks Go (Paynter) also received a smattering of first-place votes and has since returned to win the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

'Quality', 'Monomoy' Aid Cox's Cause…

It was a banner season for trainer Brad Cox, whose four winners on Breeders' Cup weekend helped secure for him his first statuette as America's Outstanding Trainer.

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) did his part, ripping through his competition in three starts and clinching the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male with a sizzling finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) won her second Eclipse Award in the last three years, adding to her 3-year-old filly championship with the 2020 Eclipse as champion older female. Purchased by Spendthrift for $9.5 million at Fasig-Tipton November, the chestnut is nearing her 6-year-old debut.

Other Wide-Margin Winners…

Vequist (Nyquist) provided her sire a champion from his very first crop to the races, securing the Eclipse as champion 2-year-old filly on the strength of victories in the GI Spinaway S. in September before turning the tables on GI Frizette S. winner Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Channel Maker (English Channel) capped a very productive season with a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and proved a handy winner of the Eclipse Award as champion turf male. The soft-ground loving 6-year-old got underfoot conditions to suit when racing away to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saratoga's GI Sword Dancer Invitational S. in August, but the going was substantially quicker when he led past every pole to take out the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational ahead of his Breeders' Cup effort. He is set to represent the U.S. in the $1-million Middle Distance Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia next month.

A Couple of Tighter Contests…

The male sprint category was expected to come down to a choice between the horse with the more complete campaign versus a more brilliant and statistically faster runner whose campaign was truncated. In the end, the veteran Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect)–the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner–got the nod over Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the GI Carter H. and GI Met Mile hero who was forced to miss the second half of the season. Whitmore received 132 first-place votes to Vekoma's 83.

The evening's most hotly contested championship was the turf female division. For the third straight year and for the fourth time in six years, 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) gave trainer Chad Brown another Eclipse Award winner in the category. But it was a razor-thin battle, as Rushing Fall–who sold for $5.5 million at FTKNOV–got just the better of GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal). The final count of first-place votes was 115-106.

Moscato (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) took home the Eclipse for Champion Steeplechase horse.

Among the human categories, in addition to Cox, Irad Ortiz, Jr. was named outstanding jockey for the third year in a row; WinStar Farm received the Eclipse for champion breeder; and Godolphin was named outstanding owner.

Root, Root, Root for the Home Team…

Media Eclipse Awards were announced earlier this month. Among the winners were the TDN's Joe Bianca and Patty Wolfe in the 'Audio/Multimedia Internet' category for a piece written and narrated by Bianca and produced by Wolfe entitled “To Hell and Back: Belmont Marks a Deserved Triumph for New York City.”

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