Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

$3.65-Million Cezanne Passes Two-Turn Test With Los Alamitos Victory

Heavily-favored Cezanne didn't disappoint in his debut around two turns for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, capturing the $45,000 feature Thursday at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

A $3.65 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-olds in training sale in March 2019, the 3-year-old son of Curlin and the Bernardini mare Achieving is now 2-for-2 after dispatching of Mongolian Legend and three others 26 days after breaking his maiden going 6 ½ furlongs.

After breaking from the outside under jockey Flavien Prat, Cezanne, who is owned by Michael Tabor, Michael B. Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and co-breeder St. Elias Stable, Cezanne sat off the pace set by stablemate Bronn, then took charge with a quick burst at the top of the long stretch and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths as the 1-10 choice.

“I think he made the lead a little early and was kind of lost (late in the stretch) but I thought it was good,'' said Baffert. “We wanted to get a nice two turn race into him. He needed it and he ran pretty fast.

“I'm glad we found this spot. He's got a ways to go, but he's improving. We'll have to see how he comes out of this, but we'll try to find a little stakes race for him, probably out of town.

“He's a heavy horse and he needed that,” Baffert added. “After his first race he was blowing pretty hard, but today he wasn't as tired. He's getting fit. I was very happy with his race. The party continues.”

Cezanne was the sixth individual betting choice at 19-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5 that closed on June 28. Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law was the favorite at 2-1.

Cezanne, who has banked $57,000 for his wins, returned $2.20 and $2.10. There was no show wagering.

Mongolian Legend, the longest shot in the cast of five at 33-1, paid $6.80. Bronn, who was making his first start since graduating at Los Alamitos last Sept. 8, Itsthattime and Never Easy completed the order of finish.

Racing resumes Friday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 1 p.m.

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Zedan Back and Still Dreaming Big with High-Priced Juvenile Purchases

When Amr Zedan’s first involvement with horse racing came as a partner in G1 Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), the Saudi businessman assumed he’d found an easy game and jumped in with both feet with several notable purchases at the 2017 juvenile sales. But the group failed to find the success he dreamed of and he decided to take a step back and regroup. After a meeting with legendary trainer Bob Baffert two years ago and a nudge from his wife, Princess Noor bint Asem, Zedan decided to refocus on the sport and his return has been punctuated this spring by the $1.35-million sale-topping purchase of a filly by Not This Time (hip 1254) at last month’s OBS Spring Sale and the $875,000 purchase of a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) (hip 443) at this week’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale.

“I was a partner in California Chrome. That’s when I caught the bug,” Zedan said from his home in Saudi Arabia Thursday. “And from there, I pivoted to North America and I worked with Dennis O’Neill. But we were very unlucky. We had a lot of horses, but a lot of them didn’t run or break their maiden.”

He continued, “The problem is that I first tasted the sport on top in winning the Dubai World Cup with California Chrome. That’s when I came in. I thought that would be the norm. And everything else would be easy-winning a Group 1 is nothing. Little did I know I was spending a lot of money there and then I realized it is a very hard sport. It’s a crap shoot. It takes a lot of luck, but you can maximize the return by being scientific about it and having the right people.”

That’s when Baffert entered the scene.

“I met with Bob at the Dubai World Cup two years ago,” Zedan said. “We had a conversation and it just materialized. And my wife really wanted me to stay at it, so she kind of pushed me.”

On the recommendation of California Chrome’s jockey Victor Espinoza, bloodstock agent Gary Young joined the team and handled bidding duties at OBS and in Timonium.

“With the team we have assembled, with Gary on the ground and Bob at the background, it gives me confidence,” Zedan said. “I was contemplating just taking a backseat with it until I figured out what I wanted to do. If it wasn’t for Bob and the confidence I have in him, I wouldn’t be doing this. Bob needs to approve it and if he says go ahead, we go. That’s how we are working. Let’s see, maybe we’ll have success, maybe we won’t, but at least we gave it our best shot.”

When Zedan was buying horses in 2017, he admitted his goal in the sport was to win the GI Kentucky Derby. The Run for the Roses remains his primary focus in his return to the sport and he’s willing to play at the highest levels to achieve that goal.

“We have decided to very carefully pick horses who are pretty much Derby types and horses that could go two turns,” he said. “That’s pretty much our strategy. We are not in it for sprinters or one-turn horses. I love racing, but I want to do it right. My motto is go big or go home. My goal is the Derby.”

Zedan’s first major purchase for the new incarnation of his racing stable came last month when he purchased the sale-topping filly for $1.35 million at OBS. From the first crop of Taylor Made stallion Not This Time, the juvenile had zipped through a quarter-mile work in :20 1/5 at the auction’s under-tack preview.

“Frank Taylor actually pointed her out to me,” Zedan said. “And I’ve always been intrigued by Not This Time since he finished second in the [GI Breeders’ Cup] Juvenile. So when the filly came in and everyone was raving about her work, I spoke to Bob. Bob said, ‘She’s a good horse, not bad, let’s consider her.’ But then when Bob saw her, he said, ‘We cannot leave without this horse.’ So I told Gary, ‘Let’s see what we can do.’ I was texting Bob and I said, ‘This is our horse, get her.’ Again, if Bob says we need her, we bring her home.”

The filly has already turned in her first work for Baffert, going three furlongs at Santa Anita in :36.60 (4/20) June 26.

“She is doing what Bob wants her to do,” Zedan said of early reports on the filly. “The key is to let the horse tell us what she wants us to do with her. So far she has been progressive. Bob has her on a schedule. As to what that schedule means for her debut, I really do not know. I do not get involved at all when it comes to training her. If there is a win in her, rest assured Bob is going to get it out of her. It’s all in Bob’s hands.”

The sale-topping filly still has no name, but Zedan is contemplating naming her after his wife, the great granddaughter of King Abdullah I of Jordan whom he married in 2018. But the princess isn’t so convinced.

“I wanted to name the filly after my wife, but she got upset. She said that was kind of tacky,” Zedan said. “So I call the filly Princess Noor in my mind. But we’re still playing with names.”

Zedan added a colt by Candy Ride to his stable Tuesday in Timonium, but this time it was Young who really wanted to go home with the youngster.

“Bob’s opinion of him was, ‘If you’re looking for a Derby-type horse, that horse ticks major boxes. We’ll put in a range and let’s see if he falls in that range.’ Gary, on the other hand, was like a kid in a candy store with that horse. Had he left without that horse, he would have been crying.”

Of the colt, Zedan added, “If he is what we hope he is, that will be great.”

The 45-year-old Zedan was born in Los Angeles while his parents were studying at the University of Southern California in 1972. His family returned to Saudi Arabia in the late 70’s, but Zedan returned to the U.S. to study before becoming chairman and CEO of his family’s Zedan Group based in Al Khobar. Originally started by his father, the business specialized in engineering, but under the younger Zedan’s leadership it now includes a number of companies that not only focus on engineering, but also infrastructure, power and water and oil, gas and petrochemicals.

His interest in horses first started with polo and he is the head of and a player for the Dubai-based Zedan Polo, as well as chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation.

Between his responsibilities at home and the travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Zedan has yet to see his new acquisitions, but he trusts in the team he has put in place.

“I get the itch to be there, but it is hard with my time being extremely limited here and being in this part of the world, and obviously the coronavirus situation,” Zedan said. “But Bob has the final say and Gary knows exactly what Bob likes. We all come together and make a decision and I think we have a good system. As long as that system works and as long as we have Bob Baffert basically okaying the final horse, we are happy. I am happy with them sharing videos [of the horses]. Hopefully when they get to the races–I don’t want to jinx them or get ahead of ourselves–but when one of our horses gets to the races, we are going to be there, hopefully.”

Zedan said he would not be limiting his purchases to the 2-year-old sales and hopes to attend the yearling sales for the first time this fall.

“I really haven’t been there for the yearling sales yet and I’m developing a taste for yearlings,” he said. “I don’t mind buying a couple of yearlings and seeing how they do. I am inclined to do it. Bob enjoys the yearlings and he has had success buying yearlings. It really depends on what is available. I think we’ve hit the target for this year. We were looking for the best filly at the sale and I think we hopefully, God willing, have found her. And we were looking to complement her with a good 2-year-old colt and I think we managed, in my opinion, to buy one of the best colts in the Fasig-Tipton sale.”

Zedan is clearly a man ready for big accomplishments in the sport. True the Derby dream is up front, but it doesn’t end there.

“I can’t quantify or put in words why I would want to win the Kentucky Derby. I just want to win the Kentucky Derby,” he said. “That’s what I really want to do in the sport. I just really want that one.”

But he quickly added, “Hopefully a Triple Crown, too. If I get the Derby, I’ll be happy, but then I want the next big one, and the Triple Crown. And then I want to do the Triple Crown again. It never stops. You can’t say it’s impossible [after American Pharoah and Justify]-with two different owners, I give you that-but again you have the greatest trainer that the sport has ever seen. And you have him picking the horses you buy and you have a team you trust.”

He continued, “We were very unlucky the first time. And now we created a new formula. My role now is to pay the bills and Bob does everything else. If Bob wants a horse, we get a horse no matter what it costs.”

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Experts Say Arkansas Derby Split Sample Still On Schedule–The Only Difference Is The World Is Waiting On It

Ever since word leaked out that Charlatan tested positive for a substance widely reported to be lidocaine following the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, one of the biggest questions on the minds of readers is – isn't this an inordinately long period of time to wait for the split sample test?

The answer: no, not really.

Dr. Scott Stanley, who previously served as director of toxicology at Truesdail Laboratories and the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at University of California-Davis, said this particular split sample came along at a tough time.

“In general, split tests for drugs detected in urine samples take three to four weeks minimum,” said Stanley, who is now a faculty member at the University of Kentucky's Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Department of Veterinary Science. “In the busy season — late spring and summer months — those turnaround times often increase because of the heavy workload at most equine labs. This year is much worse, because most of the equine testing labs were shut down because of COVID-19, [and] the few labs still operating had reduced staff with social distancing required. The lab's first priority is to their own clients with split samples scheduled in available time.

“Taking all these circumstances into consideration, I wouldn't be surprise if any split sample this spring were to take six to eight weeks.”

The referee laboratory in this case likely didn't receive the split sample until late May or early June, putting us four weeks into the process. Stewards confirmed to the Paulick Report July 1 that the split results are not yet complete.

Why does it feel to race fans (and certainly, no doubt, to Charlatan's trainer, Bob Baffert) like an awfully long time to wait for results?

Probably because we're not often aware of how long the road between a positive post-race drug test and a stewards' ruling is until after a case is concluded. Just days ago, we reported on a settlement reached between trainer John Sadler and the California Horse Racing Board for three medication violations incurred in April and May 2019 for gabapentin and clenbuterol. In early February, Louisiana stewards fined trainer Joe Sharp for levamisole positives his horses incurred in December, which he said were the result of a deworming product.

The public typically isn't aware of drug positives until after a split sample has come back, an investigation is complete, and the stewards issue a ruling. That's because most racing jurisdictions have rules or statutes specifying post-race positives be kept confidential for some period of time. In some states, it's until the stewards make a ruling, in others it's until a hearing has been held, and in still other cases it's for a set period of time after the positive has been reported by the laboratory to the regulatory body.

The lone exception to this could soon be California. The California Horse Racing Board found itself under fire last year after the New York Times revealed 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify tested positive for scopolamine after his Santa Anita Derby win. A split sample confirmed the presence of the substance, and a CHRB investigation concluded it was a result of contamination from jimson weed. The regulatory body held a hearing into the matter behind closed doors (in August 2018, roughly four months after the race in question) and no one knew it had happened at all until the Times report. For many, it was the lack of transparency in the process, which was completely permissible by state statute, that was more troubling than the positive test.

Since then, California SB 800 has sought to change the state's Business and Professions Code on this point. Among other provisions, the bill would add a section to existing law requiring the CHRB to put on its website results of “all nonconfidential official test samples” within five business days of confirmation of the split sample or the waiver of split sample by the trainer rather than keep those results confidential until after a hearing and ruling.

SB 800 has passed the California Senate unanimously and has moved on to the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization as of June 18.

“The confidentiality requirement is in the Business & Professions Code, meaning it takes action by the Legislature, not the Board,” said Scott Chaney, executive director of the CHRB. “If it eventually passes both the Senate and Assembly and is signed by the Governor, it will become law on January 1. We anticipate that all of these things will happen.”

Of course, that still doesn't mean the public will have access to an initial positive test – a test performed by a state-contracted laboratory at the order of a state government body. To some fans and members of the public, it may seem that information should be part of the public record.

On the other side of the fence though, attorneys say disclosing post-race test results without the benefit of a split sample could truncate a trainer's right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty.

“A lab calls a positive and of course that's an allegation — there hasn't been due process,” said attorney Drew Mollica. “So I'm taking this for granted, no commission has ever told me this, but I'm thinking the commission says that it's only an allegation. They don't distribute the purse, they keep it confidential until they litigate it.”

Charlatan ended up with an injury that took him off the Kentucky Derby trail anyway. But if he hadn't, Mollica points out that a positive in a Derby points race has consequences for other trainers and owners as long as it remains unresolved, whether they're told about it ahead of a split sample test or not.

Justify was not disqualified for his post-Santa Anita Derby overage because officials ultimately decided his positive test was due to contamination. But if he had been disqualified in August from his Derby prep win in April, it certainly would have raised questions about the time it takes the commission and laboratories to complete initial testing, split sample testing, an investigation, and a ruling and/or hearing.

“Here's my problem with that in this day and age, especially when it relates to the Kentucky Derby — because of the points to get into the Derby, you have a problem now,” said Mollica. “Horses get into the Derby on the points, so I'm of the opinion that if the test comes up bad in those races, they should announce it because it has ramifications.

“In the real world, you're innocent until proven guilty. We as defense lawyers want due process. But I think there's a competing interest as it relates to these Derby races that get horses to the next level that might not belong there. This is a problem, and I don't think they should award the points until it's been litigated. I know that's a problem, especially if you win points two weeks before the Derby and it gets you in, but there are ramifications here for the people who are second and third.

“Justice delayed is justice denied, I get it. A rush to judgment is also bad. There are competing interests. I understand both sides of it.”

Besides the impacts of disclosure and nondisclosure to trainers and fans, there are other people who could be impacted by knowing which races and trainers are awaiting the results of a split: the employees of the laboratory asked to do the split sample test.

“In my experience at LGC we used a laboratory information management system that assigned a laboratory number to every sample upon receipt,” said Dr. Rick Sams, former laboratory director for LGC Sport Science in Lexington, Ky. “The sample was identified only by this number while in the laboratory so that testing personnel would not know the origin or history of any sample. This was done for the purpose of reducing bias. Nevertheless, I find it unfortunate and disturbing that the findings for this sample were released and the trainer identified before the split sample analysis had been completed because this put the split sample laboratory in a very difficult position.”

The situation could become especially sticky if for some reason the referee laboratory has a different finding than the lab which conducted the initial positive test – how will the public trust the results now that everyone, including the referee lab, knows the split sample came from an accomplished trainer and an impactful race? Could the release of the initial test results impact the commission's case (or Baffert's) if the stewards end up disqualifying the horse?

For now, it seems everyone – the horse's connections and the public alike – have more questions than answers.

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Baffert Seeks Fourth Straight Los Al Derby Win With Duo Of Thousand Words, Uncle Chuck

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will try to win the Los Alamitos Derby for a fourth consecutive year when he sends out Thousand Words and Uncle Chuck Saturday.

The Grade III, $150,000-guaranteed Derby, which is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, is part of a stakes doubleheader on the next-to-last day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival. Bellafina, a seven-time graded stakes winner, tops the field of older fillies and mares in the Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M at 6 ½ furlongs. Post time Saturday is 1 p.m.

The Los Alamitos Derby will go as race six and has a scheduled post time of 3:28 p.m. PDT while the Great Lady M. will be the eighth of nine races and is scheduled for 4:28 p.m.

Baffert, whose Los Alamitos Derby win streak commenced with eventual 3-year-old champion West Coast in 2017 then continued with Once On Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner a year ago, will be seeking his fifth win in the contest since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014. He also won with Gimme Da Lute in 2015.

With the postponement of the Kentucky Derby from May 2 until Sept. 5 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Los Alamitos Derby is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby'' this year. The winner of the local Derby will receive 20 points towards earning a berth in the starting gate the first Saturday of September. The runner-up will receive eight points, the third place finisher four and the fourth place finisher two.

A son of Pioneerof the Nile and the Pomeroy mare Pomeroys Pistol, Thousand Words will try to become the first horse to win both the Los Alamitos Futurity and Derby. Shared Belief won the final running of the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in 2013 and the inaugural running of the Los Alamitos Derby the following year.

Owned by Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC, Thousand Words hasn't been out since finishing far back over a sloppy track as the 5-2 favorite in the Oaklawn Stakes April 11 in Arkansas. He's won three of five and earned $235,500.

An Uncle Mo colt out of the Unbridled's Song mare Forest Music, Uncle Chuck was an impressive first out winner June 12. He went gate-to-wire against four opponents in the race at one mile, cruising to a seven length victory for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. The win was worth $30,000 for Uncle Chuck, a $250,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2018.

Defeated a neck by Thousand Words in the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity in his final start as a 2-year-old, Anneau d'Or will be seeking his first win of 2020 for Peter Redekop B.C. Ltd. and trainer Blaine Wright.

The Medaglia d'Oro colt out of the Tapit mare Walk Close was most recently fourth in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby June 6, finishing nearly six lengths behind winner Honor A.P.

He's 1-for-6 in his career with a bankroll of $442,000.

Great Power will race for the first time since finishing a distant third behind Charlatan at one mile March 14.

Trained by Simon Callaghan for JSM Equine LLC, Qatar Racing Limited and breeder Lakland Farm, the Blame colt out of the Unbridled's Song mare Lifeinthefastlane was a first out winner going short last Sept. 29. He earned $36,840 in his two starts.

A five-start maiden, Cosmo will make his first afternoon appearance on a surface other than turf for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale.

Owned by Edward Hudson, Jr. and Lynne Hudson, the Distorted Humor colt out of the Grand Slam mare Sky Glow has banked $18,500 while hitting the board twice. In his most recent start at one mile, Cosmo was third, three-quarters of a length behind favored winner Tiberius Mercurius June 19.

From the inside out, the field for the Los Alamitos Derby: Cosmo, Abel Cedillo rides, 122 pounds; Great Power, Drayden Van Dyke, 122; Thousand Words, Flavien Prat, Uncle Chuck, Luis Saez, 122 and Anneau d'Or, Victor Espinoza, 122.

In the Great Lady M., Bellafina will return to Los Alamitos for the first time since she finished second in her career debut two years ago to the day. The daughter of Quality Road finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Katieleigh as the 1-2 choice July 4, 2018.

Since that defeat, Bellafina, who is owned by Kaleem Shah, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith and trained by Simon Callaghan, has won half of her 14 starts and earned $1,512,975.

She ended a six-race losing streak with a one-length score in the Grade III Desert Stormer May 17.

Sneaking Out returns to California after going 1-for-2 on the road to begin her 2020 campaign for owner-breeder KMN Racing LLC and Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The 4-year-old Indian Evening filly out of the Kitten's Joy mare Maddie's Odyssey won as the favorite April 25 at Oaklawn Park before finishing fifth of eighth in the Grade III Winning Colors May 30 at Churchill Downs.

The California bred has won four of 10 lifetime and earned $311,441.

Amuse cuts back in distance and goes turf to dirt in her second of the year for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella after finishing third in an optional claimer at one mile June 14.

The 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare showed the way before weakening in the final eighth of a mile in her first start in more than 14 months.

Owned by a partnership that includes Claiborne Farm, Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass and Adele Dilschneider, Amuse has won two of six and earned $85,511.

Runner-up to Bellafina when nearly 43-1 in the Desert Stormer, Hang a Star will be seeking her third lifetime win in the Great Lady M.

Owned by the same owner-trainer combination – Seltzer Thoroughbreds and Ian Kruljac – that won this race in 2016 with eventual female sprint champion Finest City, Hang a Star has banked $108,311 in seven starts. She is a daughter of Tapizar and the Vindication mare Homecoming Dance.

Zusha will shorten up for her first race since finishing a distant fifth in the Grade I Beholder Mile March 14.

Trained by Gary Mandella for Rafael Steinbruch, the 5-year-old daughter of Congrats and the Storm Cat mare Icy Tea has won two of 20 and banked $218,893. In her lone start at Los Alamitos, Zusha finished second behind Queen Bee to You in the Grade III Bayakoa last Dec. 8.

Fifth after disputing the pace in the Desert Stormer, Artistic Diva will try to stay perfect at Los Alamitos for Hronis Racing LLC and trainer Juan Leyva.

The lightly-raced 5-year-old Munnings mare was a gate-to-wire winner in her local debut last Sept. 13. She's won half of her six starts and earned $143,450.

Winless in five starts in 2020, Donut Girl will step into graded company for the first time after finishing fourth of nine in an optional claimer on turf June 19.

A $20,000 claim by owner-trainer Brian Cunningham May 16, the 5-year-old Smiling Tiger mare out of the Any Given Saturday mare Saturday's Girl has won four of 21 and earned $170,582. She has won locally, scoring a come-from-behind win over a wet fast surface during the 2019 Winter meet when trained by Matt Chew.

From inside out, the field for the Great Lady M. Stakes: Bellafina, Flavien Prat rides, 124 pounds; Artistic Diva, Victor Espinoza, 119; Sneaking Out, Martin Garcia, 119; Donut Girl, Geovanni Franco, 119; Hang a Star, Umberto Rispoli, 119; Amuse, Drayden Van Dyke, 119 and Zusha, Tiago Pereira, 119.

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