Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Baffert May Ship Gamine East Again To Prep For Kentucky Oaks

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was pleasantly surprised to see Gamine bounce out of her sensational 18 3/4-length domination of the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes on June 20 as quickly as she did.

Baffert, a five-time winner of the one-turn mile event at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., said the Grade 1, $1.25-million Kentucky Oaks on September 4 at Churchill Downs is the long-term goal for the Into Mischief bay, but that he would like to race once more before the prestigious event with a trip to Saratoga a possibility for his filly. The nine-furlong, Grade 1, $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks is slated for July 18 at Saratoga.

Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Gamine arrived at the Acorn off a win on debut at Santa Anita and a two-turn victory against winners at Oaklawn Park.

“For as fast as she ran, she looks really good,” Baffert said. “It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be on her. After the Oaklawn race she came back and was a little light on me, but this time she came back looking really well. So we're excited about her. I haven't really thought of a next race for her. I'd like to find one race before the Kentucky Oaks, I just don't know yet. I may have to come back to Saratoga.”

Gamine earned 50 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks following an Acorn win and is currently No. 12 on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard.

Bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings, Gamine was purchased for $1.8 million from the Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last May. She is out of the stakes-placed Kafwain broodmare Peggy Jane.

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Bellafina Tops Great Lady M. Noms; Baffert Nominates Quartet To Los Alamitos Derby

Multiple graded stakes winner Bellafina heads the nominations for the Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M. Stakes while Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has four nominees to the Grade III, $150,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos race course in Cypress, Calif.

The two races will be run for the seventh time at Los Alamitos Saturday, July 4.

Owned by Kaleem Shah and Mrs. John Magnier and trained by Simon Callaghan, Bellafina, a 4-year-old Quality Road filly out of the Malibu Moon mare Akron Moon, has earned all seven of her wins in graded stakes. She's banked $1,512,875 in 15 starts. Her successes include the Sorrento (GII), Del Mar Debutante (GI) and Chandlier (GI) in 2018, Santa Ynez (GII), Las Virgenes (GII) and Santa Anita Oaks (GI) in 2019 and the Desert Stormer (GIII) last month at Santa Anita.

The Great Lady M. will mark Bellafina's first start at Los Alamitos since she was second in her career debut July 4, 2018.

The other nominees are Lady T N T, idle since her 37-1 upset in the Grade III Charles Town Oaks last Sept. 21, Zusha, Artistic Diva, Amuse, Ava's Charm, Donut Girl, Hang a Star, Message, Road Rager, Saints Paynter, Sneaking Out and Unique Factor.

Baffert, who has won the Los Alamitos Derby the last three years with West Coast (2017), Once on Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner (2019), nominated Azul Coast, a first out winner at Los Alamitos last Dec. 8, Cezanne, who is entered in Thursday's fifth race, Thousand Words, a neck winner of the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity last Dec. 7, and impressive debut winner Uncle Chuck.

The Derby is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby'' this year. The winner of the race will receive 20 points towards a berth in the Derby, which will be run Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs. There will also be eight points awarded to the runner-up, four to the third place finisher and two to the fourth place finisher.

The other Los Alamitos Derby nominees are Great Power, Rushie, third behind Honor A.P. and Authentic in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby June 6, Anneau d'Or, fourth in the SA Derby and second in last year's Los Alamitos Futurity, the maiden Cosmo, Hit the Road and the filly Stela Star.

Entries for both the Great Lady M. Stakes and the Los Alamitos Derby will be taken Wednesday, July 1.

Equibase past performances for the Great Lady M. Stakes

Equibase past performances for Los Alamitos Derby nominees

The post Bellafina Tops Great Lady M. Noms; Baffert Nominates Quartet To Los Alamitos Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Nominations Announced For $1-Million Haskell; Race To Include Derby Points, Breeders’ Cup Berth, Potential Bonus

Thirty-three horses were nominated to the Grade 1, $1-million TVG.com Haskell Stakes, with Monmouth Park's signature race on July 18 offering the added inducements of points for the Kentucky Derby and “Win and You're In” status for the Breeders' Cup Classic, racing secretary/handicapper John Heims and stakes coordinator Lynn T. Ott announced on Friday.

The Oceanport, N.J., track is also putting up a $1-million bonus for any horse that sweeps the Haskell, the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Classic this year.

The nine-furlong Haskell, to be contested for the 53rd time, headlines a stakes-filled program that includes the Grade 1 United Nations. It is one of just two Grade 1 races left for 3-year-olds prior to the Kentucky Derby, which has moved to Sept. 5 from its traditional spot the first Saturday in May because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Breeders' Cup Classic is set for Nov. 7.

A total of 170 points will be available for a chance to make the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby, with 100 going to the Haskell winner, 40 to the runner-up, 20 to the third-place finisher and 10 to the fourth-place horses.

Santa Anita Derby runner-up Authentic is one of three runners nominated from trainer Bob Baffert's barn. Cezanne and Uncle Chuck are the others.

Baffert has won the Haskell Invitational a record eight times, doing so in 2015 (American Pharoah), 2014 (Bayern), 2012 (Paynter), 2011 (Coil), 2010 (Lookin at Lucky), 2005 (Roman Ruler), 2002 (War Emblem) and 2001 (Point Given).

Opening Day for the 2020 Monmouth Park meet is set for Friday, July 3, with a 5 p.m. first post. Saturday and Sunday post times will be 12:50, with the exception of a noon start on Haskell Day.

The list of Haskell Stakes nominees (which does not include late mail):

Ancient Warrior
Attachment Rate
Authentic
Basin
Candy Tycoon
Caracaro
Celtic Striker
Cezanne
Double Crown
Dr. Post
Enforceable
Ete Indian
Fame to Famous
Farmington Road
Jesus' Team
Lebda
Max Player
Mischevious Alex
Modernist
Money Moves
Mr. Big News
Mystic Guide
NY Traffic
Pneumatic
Shivaree
Sole Volante
Soros
Summer Kid
Swiss Skydiver
Tap It To Win
Uncle Chuck
Unrighteous
Winning Impression

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June 27 Insights

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PAIR OF WELL-BRED DEBUTANTES IN CHURCHILL OPENER

1st-CD, $79K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:00p.m.

The appropriately named LUCKY FIND (Uncle Mo), a $50,000 KEESEP buy from a deep Helen Groves family, makes her career bow in this spot for Glen Hill Farm and Tom Proctor. Out of MSW Tea Time (Pulpit), the bay hails from the family of dual champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and Grade I winners Arch (Kris S.) and Acoma (Empire Maker). Robert and Lawana Low homebred Sea Garden (Curlin) also debuts in this test. She is a half-sister to GSW Glenville Gardens (Street Cry {Ire}). Their dam is a daughter of GISW Marley Vale (Forty Niner), who also produced MGSW & MGISP Indian Vale (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs

ASMUSSEN UNVEILS PRICEY INTO MISCHIEF COLTS

4th-CD, $79K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:38p.m.

Pheonix Thoroughbred III and Winchell Thoroughbreds teamed up to acquire WHISKEY DOUBLE (Into Mischief) for $875,000 at Keeneland September and he makes his first trip to the post here for Steve Asmussen. The bay’s dam is MSW Lake Sebago (Munnings) and hails from the family of Canadian champion Hollinger (Black Minnaloushe). Asmussen also unveils another son of Into Mischief in WinStar and China Horse Club’s Holland. The $400,000 FTSAUG purchase is out of a half-sister to Argentinian champion Forty Greeta (Arg) (Roar) and GSW Honorable Dillon (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

MILLION-DOLLAR QUALITY ROAD DEBUTS AT BELMONT

6th-BEL, $64K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7fT, 3:59p.m.

Peter Brant and Three Chimneys Farm’s JOHNNYPUMP (Quality Road) makes his career bow in this test for trainer Chad Brown. His dam is a half to Grade I winner Spring Quality (Quality Road) and GSW Holiday Star (Harlan’s Holiday). This is also the family of MGSW & MG1SP Alice Springs (Val de l’Orne {Fr}). Also making his first trip to the post here is Patriot Game (Honor Code), who carries the same silks and hails from the same barn as his half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby and GI Florida Derby hero Orb (Malibu Moon). Their second dam is MGSW Mesabi Maiden (Cox’s Ridge). Trainer Shug McGaughey saddles another well-bred firster here in North Carolina (Speightstown). The Joe Allen homebred is out of SW Baroness Richter (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is also the dam of GSW Dream While (War Front) and SW Dear Lavinia (Grand Slam). TJCIS PPs

SEVEN-FIGURE INTO MISCHIEF MAKES CAREER BOW AT LOS AL

3rd-LRC, $40K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 4:58p.m.

Doug O’Neill unveils NOTRE DAME (Into Mischief), who summoned $1-million at FTFMAR after breezing in :10 flat. He is out of MSW & GSP Cor Cor (Smoke Glacken) and hails from the family of GSW Fancy Dress Party (Munnings). Neil Drysdale saddles a well-related firster in Thor-Bred Stable homebred Adare (Medaglia d’Oro). He is a half-brother to GSW Ocean Knight (Curlin) and MGSP Nero (Pioneerof the Nile). Bob Baffert also sends out two noteworthy first timers in Happy Hepo (American Pharoah) and Holden the Lute (Midnight Lute). Picked up for $300,000 at OBS March last year after working in :10 flat, Happy Hepo displays the upbeat worktab typical of aBaffert trainee, most recently breezing a best-of-20 five panels in :59 1/5 here June 19. His dam is GSP Heart of Paradise (More Than Ready). His stablemate, Pegram, Watson and Weitman homebred Holden the Lute, is a full-brother to MGSW Gimme Da Lute. TJCIS PPs

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