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Post Position Leads Baffert To Scratch Medina Spirit From Pennsylvania Derby

Medina Spirit has been withdrawn from Saturday's Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, owing to his outside post position, trainer Bob Baffert told the Albany Times Union's Tim Wilkin on Tuesday.

The son of Protonico drew the ninth post in a 10-horse field.

Baffert will also scratch Grade 3 winner Private Mission from the G1 Cotillion Stakes on the same card, and point her toward the G2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 3.

“I don't like to put them on a plane unless I feel real good about it,” Baffert told Wilkin. “Medina looks good, I just don't like the way the race was setting up. I feel part of my success is knowing when to run and doing what's right for the horse.”

The Pennsylvania Derby would have been Medina Spirit's second race back from a summer layoff, following a win in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29. Prior to his three-month break, Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby from the #8 post, then finished third in the Preakness Stakes.

Baffert said Medina Spirit would be redirected to face older competition in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. If he performs well in the prep race, he will be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup.

Medina Spirit was installed as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite for the Pennsylvania Derby. In his absence, favoritism will likely fall on Hot Rod Charlie, a multiple classic-placed Grade 2 winner who most recently finished first in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, but was disqualified to last for his role in unseating the rider from Midnight Bourbon, who he will face again on Saturday at Parx.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is not going to ship Medina Spirit to @parxracing for Pennsylvania Derby. “I don't like the way he drew,” Baffert said about the No. 9 post

— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) September 21, 2021

Baffert also said Private Mission, who was going to run in the Cotillion at @parxracing, is also staying in California

— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) September 21, 2021

Baffert said Medina Spirit will be pointed to the Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again at Santa Anita on Oct. 2 Private Mission to the Grade III, $200,000 Zenyatta on Oct. 3. “If they run well, they will go the Breeders' Cup,” Baffert said.

— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) September 21, 2021

Bob Baffert on pulling Medina Spirit from Pa Derby: “I don't like to put them on a plane unless I feel real good about it. Medina looks good, I just don't like the way the race was setting up. I feel part of my success is knowing when to run and doing what's right for the horse.”

— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) September 21, 2021

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Delaware Park To Celebrate Owners’ Day With Six Stakes, Tribute To Rich Glazier

The 29th Owners' Day will showcase the best in Delaware racing and pay tribute to the late Delaware Park icon Rich Glazier this Saturday. The eleven-race card with total purses of $796,000 will have a special first race post time of 12:45 p.m. The card has six stakes, four for Delaware-bred or certified Thoroughbreds and two restricted to horses that have started at Delaware Park this year.

The seventh race will be the Rich Glazier Turf Classic which will be a time of reflection on the contributions and accomplishments the long-time television handicap analyst made to racing in Delaware. Glazier passed away on June 22nd at the age of 73.

Leading trainer Jamie Ness, who is well on his way to his seventh straight and record tying title, has entered a total of nine on the card. The 47-year-old native of Heron, South Dakota, has entered five in stakes. He has Troy Johnson and Jagger's Cashing Big Checks and Runnymoore Racing's What's Cookin in the Small Wonder Stakes, Gap View Stables and Jagger's Indian Lake in the New Castle, Michael Cox's Madam Meena in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff and Jagger's Shane's Jewel in the mile and seventy-yard DTHA Governors Day Handicap.

“We always look forward to Owner's Day,” said trainer Jamie Ness, who has 33-win lead in the race for leading trainer with a record of 47 wins, 30 seconds, and 20 thirds from 168 starts, through racing Monday, September 20. “It has always been a fun and special day and as our operation has grown and we have invested into the Delaware Certified program so too has the significance and importance of the day for us. It is just a great way to celebrate and be thankful for everything good about Delaware racing.”

The five and a half furlong $100,000 Small Wonder Stakes for Delaware bred or certified 2-year-old fillies has attracted a field of seven.

“We got two in the Small Wonder,” Ness said, who has been the leading trainer at Delaware Park every year since 2012 with the exception of 2014 when he was third in the standings. “We entered Cashing Big Checks and What's Cookin. Cashing Big Checks won the prep for this race and she seems like a really talented filly that we really like. What's Cookin is an up and comer who won really nicely in her last for Runnymoore Racing who is getting into the breeding business and will be getting most of those horses Delaware certified. Cashing Big Checks has been training really well after her gutsy performance and What's Cookin could be peaking just at that right time, so I feel really good about my two in the Small Wonder.”

The six-furlong $100,000 New Castle for Delaware bred or certified horses 3-year-olds and upward has attracted a field of ten.

“Indian Lake will run in the New Castle,” Ness said. “Obviously, he is a 3-year-old going against older horses and that is a concern, but he is Delaware Certified, so there is not a better spot to take a chance. He is a stakes winner at a mile and a half and now we are cutting back to six furlongs, which is another question all good handicappers are going to ask. But he is one of those kind of horses where he runs well going long, he runs well going short, he runs well on the dirt and he runs well on the turf. We are up against it a little bit in this spot going against older seasoned veterans, but you never know and this is as good a spot to take a shot as any.”

The six-furlong $100,000 Tax Free Shopping Distaff for Delaware bred or certified fillies and mares has attracted a field of nine.

“We entered the defending champ, Madam Meena in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff,” Ness said. “She is ready to go and ready to defend her title. She had an injury this year and we gave her some time off. We brought her back slow and we had been pointing for this race for six months. She had a good workout on Sunday, so all systems are on go. In her last race, she got into a lot of trouble and almost went down. It could have been worse and we are just thankful she came out of it okay. A horse bolted into the turn going four furlongs and took us out. It was just one of those bad luck race days, but we will overcome it. The important thing is mentally I wanted to give her a race. We got that accomplished and she came out of it fine, so we live to fight another day.”

The mile and seventy yards $75,000 DTHA Governor's Day Handicap restricted to 3-year-olds and upward who have started in a non-stake race at Delaware Park in 2021 has attracted a field of seven.

“I got Shane's Jewel in the (DTHA) Governor's Day,” Ness said. “He is going really good. He ran second in the prep for this race and he will be facing a tough group. Speed is his thing and we are going to use it, so it is going to be just like the rest of his races where it will be catch me if you can.”

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Miss Important Remains Unbeaten At Grants Pass Downs

Miss Important caught Jaded Tiger in the final strides for a half-length victory in Monday's $14,600 Siskiyou Stakes for older fillies and mares on opening night of the 18-day fall season at Grants Pass Downs.

Under a perfectly timed ride by David Martin, Miss Important ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:06.92 and paid $6.80 as the betting favorite. Billy Christian is the trainer for winning owner Bern Kent of Yakima, Wash.

A 4-year-old Graydar filly, Miss Important is now four for four at Grants Pass Downs including stakes scores in the Shady Cove Handicap, Jo Durham Memorial and Siskiyou Stakes. Kent claimed the bay filly for $10,000 out of her Grants Pass debut on May 24.

In seventh place early, Miss Important began passing horses on the backstretch, reached contention on the turn and reeled in Xtrafine Xtina and Jaded Tiger late for the victory.

Martin, now three for three on Miss Important, had the filly farther behind than normal Monday.

“She got bumped at the break, but she relaxed well and there was some speed in the race,” Martin said. “I was quiet on her early but when I asked her, she responded. (Miss Important) is a nice filly.”

Miss Important has demonstrated excellent versatility in her career, recording wins sprinting and routing, as well as on dirt, synthetic and wet racing surfaces. Her overall record is 6-1-2 in 16 starts with earnings of $92,388, including $8,030 for Monday's triumph.

Jaded Tiger nearly bagged her eighth victory of 2021. Ridden by Joree Scriver, the 4-year-old Smiling Tiger filly overhauled Xtrafine Xtina into the stretch run and just failed to last for the victory.

Xtrafine Xtina, ridden by James Wooten Jr., dueled with Hold That Smile through fractions of :21.61 and :46.46, gained a short lead on the turn, but weakened slightly in the stretch and finished third. Mean Sharon, Hold That Smile, Barbello, Chase the Music and Madigan Squeeze completed the order of finish.

On-track attendance was 475 and the total handle was $309,400.

NOTES: David Martin swept the late daily double on Miss Important ($6.80) and Shesaidshesperfect ($17.40). . .Alex Anaya also rode two winners—one Quarter Horse and one Thoroughbred. . .Anaya currently ranks sixth with 23 wins at Emerald Downs. . . Monday's first and third races were $8,000 allowances for older quarter horses at 300 yards. In race one, Warhock ($18.20) upset 2 to 5 favorite Cm Boom Shakalaka while running 300 yards in 15.23 seconds. Anaya rode the winner for trainer Benito Curiel and owner Malon Cowgill. In race three, Arizona Favorite ($4.40) and jockey Martin Osuna prevailed in 15.31 seconds for trainer Hector Magallanes and owners Kevin and Robin Allred. . .2020 Grants Pass Mile champion Pulpits Power ($4.80) held off Shockazulu for a hard-fought victory in race five, with two-time defending riding champion Joree Scriver scoring her first win of the meet. . .Two-time defending training champ Quinn Howey went one for one opening night as Gray Gem ($5) rolled to an easy victory under Mckenzie King in race six. . .The 2021 spring/summer meet continues Tuesday with an eight-race program at 5:15 p.m. , including El Alto Hombre attempting to win his seventh straight race this year in the $14,600 Applegate Stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

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Courageous and Competitive Diamond Oops Determined to Be ‘Top Dog’

When Diamond Oops was a young racing prospect, his ill-favored appearance made him a horse no one wanted. When he reached the races as a juvenile and enjoyed surprising early success, he reverted to a runner with seemingly little future on the racetrack when he tore the digital super flexor tendon in his left foreleg. Veterinarians predicted he would never be the same – if he ever ran again.