Tag: McLaren Vale

Baffert’s Ownership Group Clarifies Move of Horses

SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan, representing the ownership group which moved four top three-year-olds to other barns last week, posted a statement on Twitter Friday night clarifying the impetus of the move.

“In light of recent commentary, our ownership group wishes to clear up a couple of misconceptions that have arisen about the transfer of our potential Derby horses to Rodolphe Brisset and Tim Yakteen,” Ryan wrote. “The owners alone made this decision, and they did so in order to give the horses the opportunity they deserve to compete in this year's Kentucky Derby. There has been some suggestion that Bob Baffert might obtain a financial benefit from the transfer of these horses and that he may somehow remain involved in their management. Both are incorrect. Bob has no financial or other interest in any of the horses, nor will he act in any direct or indirect advisory role for their training or racing while they are in the hands of other trainers. We understand the conditions Churchill Downs has established for the future accrual of Derby points and entry into the Derby and we intend to fully comply with them.”

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

 

 

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. Doppelganger is scheduled to run in Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby, while Messier and McLaren Vale are expected to run in the Apr. 9 GI Santa Anita Derby.

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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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What’s in a Name? Mr. Baffert, Doppelganger, and More

Mr. Baffert, c, 2, Bodemeister–Commandaria, by Smart Strike. Monterrico, 11-14, Maiden, 1000m. B-Sanford Robertson (KY).

The one and only Mr. Bob Baffert has had quite a share of intriguingly named winners in the last few weeks. Incidentally, Baffert is himself the namesake of a brilliant Peruvian (and U.S.-bred) colt by his old alumnus Bodemeister–the 2-year-old being a fast horse who won by almost five lengths at five furlongs on his racetrack debut (from another hemisphere in more ways than one?).

8th-Los Alamitos, $54,312, Msw, 12-11, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.21, ft, 3 1/2 lengths. Doppelganger (c, 2, Into Mischief–Twice the Lady {SW & MGSP, $312,204}, by Quiet American) O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson, & Jay A. Schoenfarber; B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

Anyway, Baffert-trained Los Alamitos winner Doppelganger, being out of dam Twice the Lady and by the horse who has endeared us to mysterious conduct, has a really ingenious name. A doppelganger (in German literally a “double-walker”) is a biologically unrelated look-alike, or a double, of a living person.

4th-Santa Anita, $65,660, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.81, gd, 1 length. McLaren Vale (c, 2, Gun Runner–Magical Weekend, by Any Given Saturday) The winner is his dam's last American-born foal, as she was exported to Australia. O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson, & Jay A. Schoenfarber; B-Austramore Pty.Ltd (KY); T-Bob Baffert

McLaren Vale is another brilliant and young winner handled by the white-haired trainer from Nogales, Az. The name may be connected to the renowned Australian wine region south of Adelaide–a “Bacchic jukebox” of excellence for precious, famous and worldly vintages: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and so on. You name it, they produce it.

LA CANADA S.-GIII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 1-1, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.31, ft. As Time Goes By (m, 5, American Pharoah–Take Charge Lady {Broodmare of the Year, MGISW, $2,480,377}, by Dehere) O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale & Chelston (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat

You must remember this: As Time Goes By is a classy name for a lovely mare, as well as the classiest and most philosophical of love songs. No wonder Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) and Humphrey Bogart (Rick) appeared to be fixated on it in “Casablanca” (1942), probably one of the best movies ever made. The lyrics are pure gold, including the line, “The fundamental things apply”, which rhymes efficiently with the following verse, the very title of the song. This wonderful female recently victorious at Santa Anita reiterates a fundamental thing applied to horse racing: that Bob Baffert has a permanent stable of well-bred prodigies.

9th-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 12-2, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:56.14, ft, neck. Courvoisier (c, 2, Tapit–Take Charge Brandi {Ch. 2-year-old Filly, MGISW, $1,692,126}, by Giant's Causeway) O-Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) & James D. Spry; B-Elevage II, LLC & Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (KY); T-Kelly J. Breen.

While I suspect that there is some name wordplay with brilliant colt Courvoisier being out of the great mare Take Charge Brandi, I wonder what is the actual state of affairs between cognac (as Courvoisier definitely is) and brandy–aren't they both distilled fruit? I will stop at “cognac is the best brandy money can buy” and respect the all-out endorsement of Courvoisier by two famous members of the history-shaking Bonaparte family. Let's hope this young colt is also destined for a Napoleonic career.

4th-Santa Anita, $71,500, (S), (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($20,000), 1-2, 4yo/up, f/m, 6fT, 1:09.39, fm, 2 lengths. That's Amare (m, 5, Unusual Heat–Amare, by Flatter) Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $112,580. O-Marsha Naify, Ali & Francie Nilforushan; B-Ali Nilforushan (CA); T-Philip D'Amato.

10th-Santa Anita, $72,000, (S), (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($20,000), 1-1, 4yo/up, 6fT, 1:09.49, gd, nose. Riding With Dino (g, 5, Vronsky–Belloma, by Yankee Gentleman) Lifetime Record: 10-3-4-2, $153,908. O-Paradise Farms Corp., Todd Cady, Roger Featherston & Jeffrey Lambert; B-G Krikorian (CA); T-Robert Hess, Jr. *$7,000 Ylg '18 BARJAN.

Finally, an old Italian crooner-in-the-sky may have had a little smile to himself with two winners at Santa Anita in the new year: That's Amare is very similar wording to the song “That's Amore” (1953), made famous by Dean Martin, who was born Dino Paul Crocetti–yes, Dino, as in Riding With Dino . Everybody loves a winner, sometimes.

An Italian native, Andrea Branchini now lives in Lexington, Ky., where he works in the equine transport industry.

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