Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Four Baffert Derby Hopefuls Moving to Other Trainers

Four of Bob Baffert's GI Kentucky Derby prospects will be transferred to other trainers, according to a press release issued by Baffert Thursday morning.

'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker), 'Rising Star' Doppelganger (Into Mischief) and McLaren Vale (Gun Runner) are being sent to trainer Tim Yakteen, and will remain in Southern California. Blackadder (Quality Road) has already left California and will be sent to the barn of Rodolphe Brissett in Kentucky.

Yakteen is a longtime former assistant of Baffert's, having last worked for him in 2004.

Under the suspension imposed upon Baffert by Churchill Downs, the four horses would not have been eligible to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points or to race in the Derby had they remained with Baffert.

All four are owned in partnership by the conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, which includes SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al.

“The most important thing to me is that Messier, Doppelganger, McLaren Vale, and Blackadder–some of the top talents in racing this year–are able to compete,” said Baffert

“I encouraged the owners to move them, not only because it is best for these horses and their future in racing but also for fans of the sport who are excited to watch them run. I know that they are in good hands training with Tim and Rudy, and I look forward to cheering them on,” Baffert added.

Reached by phone Thursday, SF's Tom Ryan said that the decision came at the behest of Baffert.

“Bob was very influential in this decision,” he said. “He felt these horses were primed to take on the challenges ahead in the next round of Derby preps, and Bob felt strongly that for the horses–first and foremost–and for the sport that if these horses have the level of talent they believe they have it's only right that they have a berth in the starting gate the first Saturday in May. The Kentucky Derby is an important race.”

Messier, the winner of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. in dominating fashion, is expected to go next in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9 at Santa Anita; McLaren Vale, third in the GII San Vicente S., will likely head to the same race, said Ryan. Doppelganger, coming off a second-place finish in the March 5 GII San Felipe S., is being pointed to the Apr. 2 GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.

“The Santa Anita Derby will probably be the best prep of the season,” said Ryan. “McLaren Vale is a big, 16′ 3″, 1,300-pound colt and he's quite claustrophobic. We tried to put him on an airplane to Arkansas and he didn't tolerate it, so he'll probably stay home and run there.”

The Arkansas Derby was also once under consideration for Messier.

“Part of the decision was would Doppelganger or Messier go there,” said Ryan. “The right thing to do is to give them individual targets. He's a very nice colt, and it feels like he's come out of his last race very well and is moving forward. Johnny [Velazquez] will ride.”

Blackadder, who broke his maiden on the dirt and won the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate on synthetic, will either target the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 9 on the former or the Apr. 2 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway on the latter.

“He's a versatile colt, bred to go on both surfaces,” said Ryan, noting that the team was probably leaning toward the Turfway race.

As for the long-term future of the horses, Ryan said he couldn't predict if they would return to Baffert or stay in their new barns.

“This is week by week,” he said. “It's a big decision. For today, we'll continue to monitor the situation as time unfolds. We'll see what happens.”

Baffert and his legal team have filed suit against Churchill Downs over the ban, along with Churchill CEO Alex Rankin.

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Gary Stevens Talks Secret Oath, Jockeys Leaving California On Writers’ Room

Ever-popular retired Hall of Fame jockey and current television analyst for Fox Sports and the New York Racing Association Gary Stevens joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday afternoon for an expansive discussion on an array of racing topics and issues. Sitting down with Joe Bianca and Bill Finley as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Stevens gave a huge personal endorsement to star 3-year-old filly Secret Oath (Arrogate) as she prepares to take on males, analyzed the shuffling of the California jockey colony, talked about his role on the acclaimed Fox/NYRA broadcast and much more.

When it comes to Secret Oath, who's undefeated by 23 combined lengths in her last three starts and set to try the boys in the Apr. 2 GI Arkansas Derby, Stevens has a unique perspective. It was he who in 1988 piloted Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}) to only the third win by a filly in the GI Kentucky Derby. Like Secret Oath, Winning Colors was trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, never afraid to try something unconventional with his horses.

“Wayne has never been afraid to jump outside the box, and I think in today's times, with a lot of negativity going on surrounding our industry, this is a feel-good story,” Stevens said. “And Wayne has always been about this sport. He's 100% the best ambassador that we've ever had. People have asked me, 'Is [Secret Oath] anything like Winning Colors?' I actually think from what I'm seeing in the mornings, she may be better than Winning Colors. She's got a different style, she loves to sit off the pace and be a stalker and accelerate. She's got brilliant acceleration for a dirt horse–almost like a turf horse. When she drops [her head] and puts in her kick, she gets it over with in a hurry. Now, granted, she's been running against fillies, but I think there's a lot more in the tank than what we've seen.”

Stevens was later asked about the recent news that Southern California's top two jockeys, Flavien Prat and Umberto Rispoli, would be moving their tack to New York this spring, and whether or not he was surprised.

“No, I wasn't at all,” he said. “I thought that this move would have come a couple of years ago, to be quite honest with you. We've all seen the success Flavien has had when he's traveled to the East Coast. He and Umberto are climbing into what I consider the toughest jockey colony, possibly in the world. But you've got to think about the future, and I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. We see the smaller field sizes in Southern California, and that's one reason I'm in Arkansas right now with Geovanni Franco and Tiago Pereira. They're very good riders who were sixth, seventh on the list of people's choices, and when [tracks] are running shorter fields and multiple trainers have multiple entries in these short fields, it doesn't leave a lot of crumbs for the rest.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, West Point Thoroughbreds, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, XBTV, Canterbury Park and Legacy Bloodstock, the writers reacted to a Franklin County judge denying Bob Baffert a stay of his suspension, celebrated the drastically improved breakdown record of California tracks, and Finley reads an extraordinary reply to his story on Jorge Navarro starting his prison sentence.. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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CHRB Elaborates on Specifics of Baffert Suspension

Earlier this week, a Kentucky judge denied trainer Bob Baffert's attempts to stay a 90-day suspension related to Medina Spirit's betamethasone-positive disqualification from the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC).

While the appeals process plays out, the question now is: What will happen to the nearly 100-horses in Baffert's California-based stable if the suspension goes into effect on April 4.

As the TDN previously reported, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) will honor the 90-day suspension metered down to Baffert through a system of reciprocity between jurisdictions.

That honor system is laid out in CHRB rule 1484: “If any applicant for a license or any licensee is under suspension, set down, ruled off, excluded from the inclosure, or otherwise barred from any racing occupation or activity requiring a license, it is prima facie evidence that he or she is unfit to be granted a license or unfit to hold a license or participate in racing in this State as a licensee during the term of any suspension or exclusion from racing imposed by any competent racing jurisdiction.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the CHRB elaborated further on the specifics of any such suspension.

Citing CHRB rule 1843.3 which deals with disciplinary actions stemming from medication violations, licensed trainers suspended for 60 days or more shall be banned from all CHRB licensed facilities.

“In addition, during the period of suspension, such trainer shall forfeit all assigned stall space and shall remove from the inclosures all signage, colors, advertisements, training-related equipment, tack, office equipment, and any other property,” the rule states.

The CHRB also prohibits a trainer suspended for more than 30-days from transferring the horses to any licensed family member, or to any other licensee employed by the suspended licensee within the previous year.

“'Licensed family members' means any person who holds an occupational license issued by the CHRB and who is related to the suspended licensee, or the licensee whose license is revoked, by blood, or by marriage or domestic partnership, or who is related by blood to the spouse or domestic partner of such licensee,” the rule adds.

As written, the rules do not preclude a licensed trainer with no immediate ties to Baffert from assuming the running of his stable in whole or in part, including employees, should the relevant owners in Baffert's barn agree to such a replacement, explained an expert on these matters who asked to remain anonymous.

There would, however, be a set of strict stipulations governing such a scenario, the expert explained.

Baffert would not be allowed to directly contact that trainer for the period of the suspension, for example. And all financial duties of the day-to-day running of the barn—such as payroll and other routine stable costs—would also be the replacement trainer's sole responsibility.

The KHRC has yet to weigh in officially on this particular matter. In its original ruling, the KHRC ruling states that, “Entry of all horses owned or trained by Mr. Baffert is denied pending transfer to persons acceptable to the stewards.”

The TDN emailed the KHRC for clarification on who the Kentucky stewards deem acceptable but has not yet received a response.

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Life Is Good Draws Gate One in Dubai World Cup

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in dominating fashion, has drawn gate one in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup. The 4-year-old colt is six for seven, with five of his wins at the graded level.

Elliott Walden, president and racing manager of co-owner WinStar Farm said, “It's an 11-horse field. He has enough time to get over, and has enough speed to put himself in a good position. It's been amazing. He has a beautiful way of moving, I think he knows he's special. It is just a blessing to have him. It's a great honour to be favourite. We feel grateful to have him.”

The Todd Pletcher trainee is joined in the starting gate by American compatriots and Grade I winners Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in stall seven for Roadrunner, Boat Racing, Strauss & Gainesway and trainer Doug O'Neill; and Bob Baffert's Country Grammer (Tonalist), who runs for Zedan Racing, WinStar and Commonwealth TB, who leaves from gate five.

Leandro Mora, assistant trainer to Doug O'Neill, said, “[We are] very happy. He needs to prove it. We talked about it we wanted any post from one through seven, so we are happy.”

Added Roadrunner Racing's Greg Helm, “To be a part of this event in Dubai is outrageous. I am shaking like a leaf. I'm so excited to be here.”

Steve Asmussen's multiple Grade I-placed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), who carries the silks of Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, has drawn post eight.

Carlos Rosas, exercise rider for Asmussen, said, “I didn't want him inside drawn on the rail so we have gone for the middle in eight. Hopefully his jockey Jose Ortiz can get a good position from there. He has been training beautifully since he finished third in the Saudi Cup.”

The 2000-metre main track race is a truly international contest, as Godolphin's duo of Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and last year's third-place finisher Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro), for trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Andre Fabre, leave from stalls six and nine, respectively.

Bin Suroor said, “I'm very happy with that, we've got the best draw. This was always the plan for him and we've always trained him on the all-weather track at home. He's always shown his form really well on that and he's trained really well so I'm very happy with him. He worked last Saturday and it was the best work I've ever seen, clocking 1:26 on the bridle.”

He added, “He came back very well from his last run, his draw is brilliant and Christophe [Soumillon] the jockey knows the track very well. He's a two-time winner of the race [with Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) in 2018 and 2019] so it's great to have him on our side.

“It's a very tough race and it's hard to win. You always have to have a good horse. We've won it nine times and we'll try to do it again.”

Godolphin's managing director Hugh Anderson added of Magny Cours, “We have the best trainer in Europe at present and the leading jockey in Dubai on our side. Maybe they won't thank me for drawing nine, but he is in better form now having disappointed us a little last time in Saudi. He finished third in this race last year so we know he likes the track.”

Super Saturday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 victor Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a colourbearer for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and trainer Salem bin Ghadayer, leaves from stall 10. Dubawi (Ire)'s Remorse (Ire), second to Hypothetical, will exit from the widest post, 11, for Al Rashid Stables, LLC and trainer Bhupat Seemar.

Japan, which has launched their strongest assault to date on the Dubai World Cup card, is represented by Shinobu Nakanishi's Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) from post three. He was runner-up in the 2021 edition of the race.

Trainer Ryuji Okubo said, “I'm happy with the gate and his condition is better than last year. He's got the experience of Meydan last year and that has served him well for this year. I'm happier this year and gate three is perfect.”

Stud Old Friends and Antonio Cintra's Aero Trem (Brz) (Shanghai Bobby) will leave from barrier two. Cintra said, “It's a good draw for him, he's a horse that can't run in the back [during his races] so it's a good draw.

“We're very proud to be here again. Last season was the first time we had a horse in the World Cup but I think this year we arrive with Aero Trem who is looking 100% so we're hoping for a good race from him.”

Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz's Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a Group 3 winner in Germany for William Haggas, has drawn gate four.

Haggas's wife Maureen, said, “We're quite happy with that, he's inexperienced on the dirt so he wouldn't have wanted to be drawn on the inside in stalls one to three. To be more to the outside is better for him and he'll work it out on the dirt.”

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