Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gamine, Improbable, Storm the Court Tune Up at Del Mar

‘TDN Rising Stars’ Gamine (Into Mischief) and Improbable (City Zip), each victorious in Grade I company at Saratoga in their most recent appearances, tuned up for their next engagements at Del Mar Saturday morning.

Michael Lund Petersen’s Gamine, towering winner of the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 8, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 (XBTV video) in the company of her stakes-winning stablemate and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Quality Response (Quality Road). With Juan Ochoa in the saddle, the $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sales topper was timed in fractions of :25.40 and :37.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and seven-eighths in 1:27.20, according to clocker Toby Turrell. Improbable, who wired the field in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 1, worked by his lonesome, stopping the timer in 1:00.40. The opening three furlongs went in :36.20.

“Very nice works,” trainer Bob Baffert told the Del Mar notes team via text. “Still looking strong.”

Eclipse Award winner Storm the Court (Court Vision) worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 flat (1/73) (XBTV video) and could make his next start in the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5. He was most recently second trying the turf for the first time in the GII La Jolla H. Aug. 9, also opening the door for a start in the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 6.

“It was a bit fast, the rider didn’t realize they were going as fast as they were, but that’s better than the alternative,” trainer Peter Eurton told the notes team.

Should he make the trip to Kentucky, Julien Leparoux has the mount.

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Aug. 23 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

EXPENSIVE DAUGHTER OF JACARANDA DEBUTS AT THE SPA

3rd-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:20 p.m.

Peter Brant went to $925,000 at KEESEP for AMERICAN WEST (Curlin), the second foal and first to make the races out of GSW Jacaranda (Congrats), who makes her career bow in this test. Jon Clay’s Alpha Delta Stable went to $2 million to acquire Jacaranda, in foal to Candy Ride (Arg), at the 2016 FTKNOV sale. The Grade III winner is a half-sister to MGISW and hot young sire Constitution (Tapit) and GSW Boynton (More Than Ready). Their GSP dam Baffled (Distorted Humor)–who summoned $1.8-million at last year’s FTKNOV sale after bringing $3.5-million at the 2016 renewal of that auction–is a half-sister to GISW Emcee (Unbridled’s Song) and GSW Surfer (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPs

ASMUSSEN SENDS OUT INTRIGUING PAIR OF FIRSTERS AT ELLIS

3rd-ELP, $46.2K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 2:46p.m.

Steve Asmussen sends out a pair of interesting firsters in Stonestreet homebred MOLIERE (Curlin) and $875,000 KEESEP buy Hard Ten (Uncle Mo). Barbara Banke’s operation went to $1.5 million to acquire Moliere’s dam Comedy (Theatrical {Ire}) in foal to Tapit at the 2015 KEENOV sale. She is also the dam of GISW Taris (Flatter), who brought $2.35-million at FTKNOV the year prior; and stakes winners Theatre Star (War Front) and Stoweshoe (Flatter). Hard Ten is a son of Peruvian champion Morena (Per) (Privately Held), who is also the dam of GI Belmont S. and GI Arkansas Derby victor Creator (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

SON OF BETTER LUCKY MAKES CAREER BOW AT THE JERSEY SHORE

6th-MTH, $47.5K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 3:09 p.m.

Mike Stidham unveils a son of MGISW Better Lucky (Ghostzapper) in TAPWOOD (Tapit). A dual Grade I winner and millionaire, Better Lucky is also the dam of GSP Kentucky Wildcat (Tapit). Her dam, GSW Sahara Gold (Seeking the Gold), is a daughter of GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint heroine Desert Stormer (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPs

CASSE UNVEILS PRICEY CANDY RIDE

5th-WO, $126.8K, Msw, 2yo, 7fT, 3:16 p.m.

D J Stable’s $800,000 OBSAPR purchase DOLDER GRAND (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes his first trip to the post in this test. Breezing in :10 1/5 on the OBS synthetic, the dark bay is a half to GSP Battalion Runner (Unbridled’s Song) and Oceanwave (Harlan’s Holiday); and SP Tiznoble (Tiznow) and Late Nite Mischief (Into Mischief). His dam is a full-sister to GISW and sire Tapizar (Tapit). Casse also unveils Gary Barber’s $385,000 FTKOCT purchase American Great (American Pharoah). Her second dam is MGSW Stylish (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs

LATEST OFFSPRING OF TAKE CHARGE LADY HITS THE TRACK

3rd-DMR, $55K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 6:00 p.m.

AS TIME GOES BY (American Pharoah) will be the latest offspring by blue hen and top racemare Take Charge Lady (Dehere) to hit the track Sunday in her debut for trainer Bob Baffert. She displays a speedy worktab typical of a member of that Hall of Famer’s barn, most recently breezing a best-of-69 half-mile in :47 flat at Del Mar Aug. 17. A three-time Grade I winner and multimillionaire, Take Charge Lady proved equally talented in the breeding shed, producing the likes of champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song); Grade I winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy); and the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) and MGISW Omaha Beach (War Front). TJCIS PPs

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‘Max’ Back On Big Stage in Pacific Classic

The last time Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) traveled 10 furlongs, he crossed the wire first before the disqualification heard around the world in the GI Kentucky Derby. A ton has happened with the colt in the year-and-change since then: an Eclipse championship, a buy-in from Coolmore, a trip across the world to win the G1 Saudi Cup, doping allegations, a barn switch. Through it all, the horse who controversy seems to follow like a shadow will return to 1 1/4 miles and Grade I company with questions to answer in Saturday’s GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Following his Derby demotion with a runner-up effort at 1-20 in last summer’s TVG.com Pegasus S. at Monmouth, the bay found redemption by annexing the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. on the Jersey Shore. After being forced to miss several months with a minor injury, he scored victories in the GIII Bold Ruler H. and GI Cigar Mile H. to wrap up his divisional title.

Just nine days after he notched a hard-fought triumph in the inaugural Saudi Cup in his 4-year-old debut, Maximum Security’s trainer Jason Servis was indicted by federal prosecutors for alleged doping of horses including Maximum Security himself, prompting a move to the Bob Baffert barn. Making his much-anticipated return in the July 25 GII San Diego H., he ground out a nose victory at 2-5, the 10th time in 11 career races he crossed the wire first, earning a 101 Beyer, 10 points shy of his top effort.

C R K Stable’s Midcourt (Midnight Lute), who nearly dueled Maximum Security into defeat, returns to take another crack at the champion. Lightly raced at five years old, the gelding reeled off four straight victories last year culminating in a 5 3/4-length conquest of the GIII Native Diver S. at this oval in November and picked up another open-length graded tally in the GII San Pasqual S. two starts later Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. A narrow third in the GI Santa Anita H., his initial 10-furlong try, Mar. 7, he bounced back from a badly-beaten fifth in the GI Gold Cup S. June 6 in Arcadia to stretch Maximum Security all the way to the wire in the San Diego.

Hronis Racing’s Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), a surprise runaway winner of last year’s Pacific Classic, tries to recapture that top form. Going turf to dirt for a 5 1/2-length score in the Del Mar meet centerpiece, the bay failed to build on that run when a distant third in both the GI Awesome Again S. and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic before finishing last as the favorite in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Bouncing back a bit to be runner-up in the Gold Cup, he proved no match for the top pair in the San Diego, finishing 6 1/4 lengths back in third.

Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will make his first dirt start since running sixth in a Santa Anita optional claimer in March of 2017. He was last seen finishing a close runner-up in the GII Eddie Read S. on the local lawn July 26.

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Up-And-Comers Look For Breakthrough in Torrey Pines

An unproven but potential-laden field of seven will do battle early on Saturday’s blockbuster card at Del Mar in the GIII Torrey Pines S. going a mile over the main track.

Pam and Martin Wygod’s Secret Keeper (Into Mischief) looks to remain unbeaten in her two-turn bow. Unveiled going 5 1/2 furlongs May 25 at Santa Anita, the homebred reeled in an odds-on Bob Baffert firster to triumph going away before stretching out a furlong and scoring in similar fashion over Baffert’s re-opposing pair of Merneith (American Pharaoh) and Provocation (Into Mischief) here July 25.

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor’s Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) will try to make it three in a row for Simon Callaghan. Third when unveiled going a grassy mile June 12 at Santa Anita, the bay moved to the dirt to graduate July 3 at Los Alamitos and repeated sharply by 4 1/4 lengths in a track-and-trip optional claimer July 27.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Aurelia Garland (Constitution) ships in for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. A dominant first-out victress under the tutelage of Wesley Ward last May, the chestnut was off a year and two weeks before returning with a late-running third in a Churchill optional claimer May 16. Filling the same slot at 4-5 in her two-turn debut there June 11, she finished second last out in the GIII Iowa Oaks July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

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