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Baffert Reveals Names of Owners Allegedly on Verge of Leaving Him

In response to an order from a federal judge for trainer Bob Baffert to reveal specifically which of his existing clients have told him they may pull horses from his care if his banishment by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is allowed to continue, Baffert's legal team on Friday provided the court with a list of five Thoroughbred owners who are allegedly considering splitting with the Hall of Fame conditioner.

According to a one-page letter filed electronically by attorney W. Craig Robertson just minutes before the judge's mandated noon (Eastern) deadline July 9, those on-the-verge owners are “Gavin Murphy of SF Bloodstock; Jack Wolf of Starlight Racing; Peter Fluor of Speedway Stable; Sol Kumin of Madaket Stables; and George Bolton.”

That disclosure comes on the heels of Baffert's publicly documented breakup with WinStar Farm, which has already pulled such elite-level Thoroughbreds as 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Country Grammer (Tonalist) from his California-based stable.

In a July 7 affidavit, Baffert stated that WinStar's reassigning of those horses was a “harm” that has “already occurred as a result of NYRA's ban,” and that “WinStar's move has and will continue to have the added effect of possibly encouraging other notable owners to do the same.”

Baffert's inability to pursue his chosen livelihood at New York's major Thoroughbred tracks is likely to be a key deciding factor in his lawsuit against NYRA in United States District Court (Eastern District of New York).

In a civil complaint filed by Baffert June 14, the seven-time

GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer is alleging that NYRA's banishment of him since May 17 violates his Fourteenth Amendment constitutional right to due process, and Baffert wants the court to overturn that ban.

NYRA's exclusion of Baffert from Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack was mandated the association in the wake of five positive drug tests in horses Baffert has trained over the last 12 months.

Three of those violations occurred in Grade I stakes. The most recent drug positive, for betamethasone in Medina Spirit (Protonico) after that Baffert trainee won the May 1 Kentucky Derby, has yet to be adjudicated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Churchill Downs Inc., however, has already barred Baffert from participating at any of the gaming corporation's five Thoroughbred tracks for a period of two years.

Judge Carol Bagley Amon's mandate for Baffert to assign specific names to his written claim that “I have recently had conversations with other owners who have stated that they may move their horses to other trainers if the New York suspension continues,” arose out of a back-and-forth verbal dispute between parties in a July 8 court conference call.

On Thursday, counsel for NYRA had argued that the plaintiff's 434-page “memorandum in further support of a preliminary injunction,” which was filed with the court only five days prior to a July 12 hearing for the case, violated established legal procedure because it included new information that the NYRA did not have time to investigate.

NYRA had already filed its own memo in opposition to overturning its ban on June 30, and on Thursday wanted the plaintiff's entire July 7 reply filing (or at least Baffert's affidavit included within) to be stricken or disregarded.

The judge denied NYRA's oral motion to strike Baffert's reply affidavit, but Amon did order Baffert to divulge the identities of the clients who were allegedly ready to break with him because their horses were being denied access to New York's premier tracks.

Amon had also recommended on Thursday that Baffert be in her New York courtroom for Monday's 11 a.m. hearing in case he is needed to testify under oath.

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Came Home Passes Away In Japan

Came Home (Gone West–Nice Assay, by Mr. Prospector), a Grade I-winning juvenile who effectively carried his speed a classic distance, has passed away after a bout with colic in Japan, according to published reports. He was 22 years old.

Bred by the late John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, the half-brother to GSW A. P. Assay (A.P. Indy) was bought back on a bid of $650,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November in 1999 and failed to meet his reserve when offered as a yearling at Keeneland September and as a juvenile at Barretts in March–thus his name–before being turned over to trainer Paco Gonzalez. Winner of the GI Hopeful S. ahead of a seventh to Johannesburg (Hennessy) in the 2001 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Came Home successfully stretched out to two turns as a sophomore, winning the one-mile GII San Rafael S. and GI Santa Anita Derby over nine furlongs before finishing sixth behind War Emblem (Our Emblem) in the 2002 GI Kentucky Derby.

He atoned for that defeat with a pair of graded wins in age-restricted company in the GIII Affirmed H. and GII Swaps S., then belied odds of 10-1 to defeat a field including the Derby winner, future GI Breeders' Cup Classic and G1 Dubai World Cup hero Pleasantly Perfect (Pleasant Colony) and two-time GI Santa Anita H. victor Milwaukee Brew (Wild Again) in the mile-and-a-quarter GI Pacific Classic (see below). He was originally retired to Lane's End Farm in Kentucky with nine wins–eight in stakes company–from 12 runs and earnings of $1,835,940.

He was responsible for 11 American stakes winners, including GIII La Habra S. heroine Passion–his lone U.S. graded winner–but was relocated to Japan's Shizunai Stallion Station in 2008. He continued to sire winners at a good clip and has accounted for an additional five black-type winners, most notably Inti (Jpn), who became his sire's lone top-level scorer to days in the 2019 February S. at Toyko and who was recently third in the $1.09-million Listed Kashiwa Kinen at Funabashi in May. His other Japanese group winners include Tagano Tonnere (Jpn) and Sound Rihanna (Jpn).

The sire of 491 winners in 21 worldwide racing jurisdictions, Came Home is represented by 17 juveniles of 2021, six of which have started.

WATCH: Came Home upsets the 2002 GI Pacific Classic

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‘Bolshoi’ Gives O’Brien Strong Chance for Oaks/Derby Double

Aidan O'Brien will saddle the likely favorite in the GI Belmont Oaks in Coolmore's Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and also sends out the overwhelming morning-line favorite 'TDN Rising Star' Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Belmont Derby a few races later for the same owner. Kicking off this term with a victory in the G3 Ballysax S. Apr. 11, the bay romped by six lengths in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial May 9, but failed to fire when seventh as the favorite in the G1 Cazoo Derby last time June 5.

“He's been training well since the Derby,” said O'Brien's traveling assistant T.J. Comerford. “Once he has good to firm ground, that makes a difference. I suppose the race wasn't ideal that day at Epsom. The ground may have gone against him. He's coming here now trying to pick up the pieces where he left off at Leopardstown.”

Leading the U.S. contingent is Hard Love (Kitten's Joy) for trainer Jonathan Thomas. A debut winner at Belmont in October, the bay was second in the Central Perk S. Nov. 28 and returned to winning ways in the Apr. 17 Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct. The ridgling was scratched from the GIII Pennine Ridge S. when it was rained off the turf and was rerouted to a local optional claimer June 5, where he defeated his elders.

“We had to reroute, but thankfully the race was in the book and went,” Thomas said. “It gave us a good opportunity to get another race under his belt. I was proud of how he handled himself and was able to get himself into a bit of a dog fight that last eighth of a mile against a seemingly nice older horse.

Subsequently, he's come out of it well and trained nicely. The whole idea was hoping he was talented enough to get to this race and the luck of getting to it.”

Du Jour (Temple City) enters this test on a hot streak. Breaking his maiden at third asking on the Santa Anita lawn Feb. 19, he scored a decisive optional claimer win there Mar. 28 and rallied to victory in Churchill's GII American Turf S. last time May 1 for trainer Bob Baffert. Owned by Baffert's wife and Debbie Lanni, the bay was transferred to fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott for this start as his previous conditioner is currently banned from NYRA tracks.

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Santa Barbara Headlines Belmont Oaks

Every year the GI Belmont Oaks and Derby attract an intriguing mix of European invaders and America's best sophomore turf horses and this year is no exception. The Coolmore contingent, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have a strong shot at taking their second renewal of this race with 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who enters this race of a narrow runner-up in Group 1 company. A debut winner at the Curragh in September, the bay was fourth in the G1 QIPCO One Thousand Guineas May 2 at Newmarket. A well-beaten fifth in the June 4 G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, Santa Barbara missed by just a neck in the G1 Pretty Polly S. back at the Curragh June 27.

“Every race she's had this year has been a Group 1 and she's been running very well in them,” said O'Brien's traveling assistant T.J. Comerford. “I suppose the ground was bad at Epsom when she ran in the Oaks. Quicker ground suited her better taking on the older fillies [in the Pretty Polly] and she ran well.”

Roger Varian also made the trip across the pond with a strong contender in Nazuna (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The bay was second in a Doncaster handicap Sept. 10 and completed the exacta in the G2 Rockfel S. 15 days later. Failing to fire in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 6, she was second last out in the Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom June 5. Varian called on Belmont expert John Velazquez to guide Nazuna here.

Rounding out the European trio is Group 3 winner Cirona (GB) (Maxios {GB}). Following an allowance win with runner-up efforts in the G3 Priz des Reservoirs and Criterium du Languedoc last term, the dark bay opened 2021 with a victory in the G3 Prix de la Grotte in April and missed by a head in the Prix Saint-Allary May 24. She enters off a non-factor 10th in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines June 20. Cirona will be saddled by Christophe Ferland here, but part-owner Pete Bradley indicated she would be transferred to Chad Brown after this race.

“A filly like this is right in Chad's wheelhouse,” said Bradley. “It doesn't look like there will be firm going up there. I don't think some cut in the ground ever hurts with 90% of European horses. I don't see where the turf will be problematic regardless of what it is this week.”

The top two from the local prep for this event, the GIII Wonder Again S., return here in Con Lima (Commissioner) and Plum Ali (First Samurai). Only off the board once in 11 starts, the dark bay scored a decisive victory in the Honey Ryder S. May 1 and followed suit with a half-length defeat of Plum Ali in the Wonder Again June 3. Winner of this venue's GII Miss Grillo S. last term, Plum Ali was third in the GII Appalachian S. prior to the Wonder Again.

“She shows up and runs well every time,” said Todd Pletcher. “She finished up the mile and an eighth really well last time and being a daughter of Commissioner, you'd think the mile and a quarter would be within her scope. We're happy with the way she's doing and looking forward to giving her a shot.”

The first two home in the GIII Regret S. also return here in Gam's Mission (Noble Missioon {GB}) and Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}). Gam's Mission has a lifetime record of three-for-four and stakes winner Spanish Loveaffair has been a consistent performer in graded company.

Rounding out the field is a horse making her first start in graded company, but who hails from a barn that can't be ignored in a turf stakes. The Chad Brown-trained Higher Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won a pair of 10-furlong events over this course Apr. 22 and June 10.

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