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Baffert 1-2 As Improbable Defeats Maximum Security In Awesome Again

With his highly regarded stablemate pressured while a joint second between horses going to the far turn, Bob Baffert's rapidly improving Improbable kicked into high gear from dead last and swept to an emphatic 4 1/2-length score in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., a key prep for the G1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov 7.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Improbable got a mile and one eighth in 1:49.01 while notching his third consecutive G1 victory.

The Awesome Again, named for the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner that was bred in Ontario, Canada, by Frank Stronach and owned by his Stronach Stables, is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the Grade I, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Longshot Take the One O One, ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., set a solid pace while Maximum Security, regarded by many as the best horse in America, sat a joint second between Sleepy Eyes Todd and Midcourt, while Take the One O One opened up to a two-length lead a quarter mile out, only to see the winner sweep by four-deep turning for home.

“I knew I was coming in here with two really good horses,” said Baffert, who collected his fourth Awesome Again win. “Maximum Security was in that scrum and they were really running up close (together). I saw Drayden, he knew what was happening, so he just sat back. He rode a great race, he knew what was going on, he took his time, rode him with patience.

“He's had good luck with this horse. He loves this track. He seems to be better in the gate here, that's why we ran him here. I hate to see my horses have to beat the other horse but 'Max' ran gallantly. He fended off the speed, but the next one is the big one. But today, it was all about Improbable.”

Owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, China Horse Club International, Ltd. and SF Racing, LLC, Improbable, fifth as the favorite behind Maximum Security in the 2019 Kentucky Derby and most recently a winner of the G1 Whitney at Saratoga Aug. 1 and the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita June 6, was off at 9-5 and paid $5.60, $2.40 and $2.10.

“The gate guy did a fabulous job with him, holding him still, he got out clean,” said Van Dyke, who has now won six races with Improbable, including the Hollywood Gold Cup. “I was going to see what everyone else was gonna do, and they did what they did and I did what I did and it worked out good.”

With regard to his thoughts on the upcoming Breeders' Cup Classic, Van Dyke took an introspective approach. “I take it a day at a time and I'm grateful for this win. He showed a different tactic today, which he showed before when he was two. He used to come off the pace more than usual…He's been training super, so I was just waiting for the stretch to come.

“It's awesome, especially for Bob and the owners, everyone involved. I'm grateful for the chance. He's gotten better and better. He's a great horse.”

With today's win, Improbable, a 4-year-old colt by City Zip out of the A.P. Indy mare Rare Event, collected his fourth G1 win and improved his overall mark to 14-7-3-0. With the winner's share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $1,709,520.

Maximum Security, who became the only horse in Kentucky Derby history to be disqualified from victory for a racing infraction, had a six-race winning streak snapped in what was his third start for Baffert. Pressured between horses throughout, he battled gamely for the place, finishing a half length in front of Midcourt.

Reunited with Luis Saez, who last rode him in the $20 million Saudi Cup three starts back on Feb. 29, Maximum Security was the 1-2 favorite in a field of five and paid $2.10 and $2.10.

“There was a lot of pressure along the way and he couldn't get comfortable, but that's how these races go,” said Saez. “You win sometimes and don't others. The good thing is he pulled up pretty good, so let's see how next time goes. He was fighting at the end of the race, but we lost.”

Off at 12-1 with Victor Espinoza, Midcourt paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.33, 46.36, 1:09.79 and 1:35.65.

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Improbable Romps In the Awesome Again

The lesser-fancied of the Bob Baffert-trained duo, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Improbable (City Zip) was uncustomarily taken well off a fast early pace, began to hit his best stride while wide on the second turn, inhaled the leading group in upper stretch and rolled home to defeat odds-on Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) by 4 1/2 lengths in the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita.

Though he hadn’t been more than two lengths off the early pace in any of his last four races, Improbable was taken back to last by Drayden Van Dyke as Take the One O One (Acclamation) set a fast pace, clocking fractions of :23.33 and :46.36, with Maximum Security in hot pursuit. Improbable began to catch the eye midway on the final turn, rolled five wide under a full head of steam into the stretch and powered clear.

Maximum Security, with Luis Saez back in the saddle, won the battle for second while tasting defeat for the first time since the Pegasus S. last June. He was perfect in two prior attempts since joining the Bob Baffert barn, including a powerful score in the GI TVG Pacific Classic S. last time Aug. 22.

The Awesome Again was the second Breeders’ Cup Challenge race win for Improbable in 2020, who previously earned his way into the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic with his victory in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga last month.
The beaten favorite in last term’s GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. kicked off 2020 with a runner-up finish in the Oaklawn Mile S. Apr. 11, then broke through with a powerful performance in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. June 6 prior to his equally impressive win at the Spa.

Pedigree Notes:

City Zip died at age 19 three years ago, but he remains a top sire with 88 black-type winners covering all surfaces and multiple distances. His 33 graded winners have contributed mightily to his tally of over $105 million in progeny earnings, and Improbable is one of his sire’s 11 millionaires. City Zip is a half-brother to 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, whose sire, Awesome Again, is the namesake of this latest Improbable win. Improbable’s dam, the A.P. Indy mare Rare Event, is out of a half-sister to GISW and leading sire Hard Spun (Danzig). Rare Event’s most recent produce is a yearling colt by Cross Traffic. She was bred to Curlin for 2021. Improbable is the most successful of three stakes winners by City Zip out of A.P. Indy mares, with the others being MSW Lipstick City and SW Marshall Eddy, both on the turf.

Saturday, Santa Anita
AWESOME AGAIN S.-GI, $300,000, Santa Anita, 9-26, 3yo/up,
1 1/8m, 1:49.01, ft.
1–IMPROBABLE, 126, c, 4, by City Zip
                1st Dam: Rare Event, by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Our Rite of Spring, by Stravinsky
                3rd Dam: Turkish Tryst, by Turkoman
   ‘TDN Rising Star‘ ($110,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg ’17
KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International
Ltd. & SF Racing LLC; B-St. George Farm LLC & G. Watts
Humphrey Jr. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Drayden Van Dyke.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: 14-7-3-0, $1,709,520. Werk Nick
   Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maximum Security, 126, c, 4, New Year’s Day–Lil Indy, by
Anasheed. O-Gary & Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael

Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc.

(KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Midcourt, 124, g, 5, Midnight Lute–Mayo On the Side, by
French Deputy. ($450,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $36,000.
Margins: 4HF, HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 1.80, 0.50, 12.70.
Also Ran: Take the One O One, Sleepy Eyes Todd.
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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Get Her Number Upsets American Pharoah Stakes In Dirt Debut

From turf to dirt, to victory in Saturday's Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., the Peter Miller-trained Get Her Number marched to a three-quarter length victory, thus assuring him a fees-paid berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Nov. 6. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Get Her Number covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.92.

A restrained second, one length off of longshot Dyn O Mite around the first turn, Get Her Number settled into a fluid stride down the backside, took command three furlongs out and had a two-length edge on Rombauer three-sixteenth of a mile from home and was not threatened from there.

A first-out five-furlong maiden turf winner on Aug. 14, Get Her Number was most recently fourth, beaten one length in an ungraded one mile turf stakes on Sept. 7 at Del Mar. Off at 8-1 in his first main track try, Get Her Number paid $18.20, $8.20 and $3.40.

Owned by Gary Barber, Get Her Number, who was purchased for $45,000 out of the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, picked up $180,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $219,000.

Sixth in the same race the winner exited on Sept. 7, Rombauer was also trying dirt for the first time and he responded with a big effort for trainer Michael McCarthy, finishing 4 3/4 lengths clear of favored Spielberg. Off at 11-1 with Mike Smith, Rombauer paid $9.60 and $4.40.

Third with no apparent excuses, Spielberg, who was off at even money with Luis Saez, paid $2.40 to show.

It's worth noting that the winner was very fractious in the saddling paddock, but had no apparent issues once the field came on the track.

Fractions on the race were 23.12, 47.07,1:12.46 and 1:37.97.

The American Pharoah is named for Bob Baffert-trained 2015 Triple Crown winner and is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

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Dialed In’s Get Her Number Upsets the American Pharoah

Get Her Number (Dialed In) and Rombauer (Twirling Candy), also-rans in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Sept. 7, reported home one-two to spring an upset in Saturday’s GI American Pharoah S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. It was another gap back to the favored maiden Spielberg (Union Rags) in third.

Nicely away from gate six, Get Her Number set up camp just to the outside of longshot Dyn O Mite (Goldencents) as Spielberg settled in an apparently good spot, just behind the speed. Well held on the far-turn run, Get Her Number struck to the lead with a quarter mile to race and and held sway late.

Rombauer, also making his dirt debut, dropped out to the tail of the field, made a menacing wide move into contention at the head of the lane and plugged on gamely for second while covering 14 more feet than the winner, according to Trakus.

Get Her Number, a $45,000 OBS Spring (:21) purchase by Gary Barber, debuted with a victory sprinting on the Del Mar lawn for Peter Miller Aug. 14 prior to finishing fourth as the favorite after setting the pace in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

“I thought it was a great move [switching to dirt],” winning jockey Flavien Prat said. “He was a bit disappointing last race. I thought I had good race, easy pace and he didn’t really show a turn of foot. We had a good trip; he broke well and he put me in the race. He reacted well on the backside and by that point I felt in control. It is great, Breeders’ Cup is always something we all look forward to so it’s cool.”

Pedigree Notes:

Dialed In has been quietly accruing a bevy of nice runners and Get Her Number, who is his sire’s fifth graded winner and 15th black-type winner overall, is the first Grade I winner for the Darby Dan stallion, although he’s come close with six GI/G1 placings by Gunnevera and additional GI placings for both Chalon and Finnick the Fierce. Get Her Number’s dam, Fancier, is by another under-the-radar performer in Bernstein, whose 63 stakes winner out of his daughters include champion Champagne Room (Broken Vow) and MGISW Gormley (Malibu Moon). Fancier sold to William Nicks for just $1,300 in foal to Astern (Aus) at the 2019 Keeneland November sale, but a foal has not been reported for her this year. Get Her Number’s American Pharoah win is the first black-type in the family since his third dam, Shy Princess, placed in the 1986 G1 Prix Morny. Shy Princess was a half-sister to GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Opening Verse (The Minstrel) and produced GSW Diffident (Fr) (Nureyev).

Saturday, Santa Anita
AMERICAN PHAROAH S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 9-26, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.92, ft.
1–GET HER NUMBER, 122, c, 2, by Dialed In
                1st Dam: Fancier, by Bernstein
                2nd Dam: Princess Pegasus, by Fusaichi Pegasus
                3rd Dam: Shy Princess, by Irish River (Fr)
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($45,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR). O-Gary Barber; B-Philip &
Brenda Robertson (KY); T-Peter Miller; J-Flavien Prat.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $219,000. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rombauer, 122, c, 2, Twirling Candy–Cashmere, by Cowboy
Cal. O/B-John & Diane Fradkin (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy.
$60,000.
3–Spielberg, 122, c, 2, Union Rags–Miss Squeal, by Smart Strike.
($1,000,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC &
Robert Masterson; B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$36,000.
Margins: 3/4, 4 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 8.10, 11.70, 1.10.
Also Ran: Waspirant, Dyn O Mite, Touchdown Brown, Notable Exception. Scratched: Weston. 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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