Tag: Triple Crown

A close second in his most recent start, Newgate heads a field of four Bob Baffert trainees going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday's $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.

The race is a Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifier, providing points on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to the top five finishers toward eligibility for the Louisville classic.

Off at 5-1 in the Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile on Jan. 8 at Santa Anita, Newgate, last early in a compact field of five, rallied gallantly through the lane but couldn't get on terms with stablemate Reincarnate, losing by a neck under Frankie Dettori, who rides him back on Saturday.

An $850,000 Keeneland September yearling saale purchase, Newgate was second two starts back in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) going seven furlongs at Del Mar Nov. 20 and will be making his fifth graded stakes appearance since breaking his maiden going 5 ½ furlongs first time out on July 30.

Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al., Newgate, a bay colt by Into Mischief out of the Majestic Warrior mare Majestic Presence, is 1-2-0 from five starts with earnings of $121,975.

Odds-on in all three of his starts, Arabian Lion, who flopped at 2-5 while beaten 12 lengths in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 17, will hope to run back to a big second-place finish going seven furlongs in a first condition allowance at Keeneland Nov. 4, a race in which he finished second by three quarters of a length at 3-5.

A first-out maiden winner going six furlongs here on Oct. 9, Arabian Lion earned a 92 first-out Beyer Speed Figure and followed that with a 93 Beyer at Keeneland. Purchased for $600,000 out of the OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training sale last April, Arabian Lion is owned by Zedan Racing Stables and is by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.

The field for the Robert B. Lewis, with jockey, and weight:

1. Arabian Lion, John Velazquez, 122

2. Newgate, Lanfranco Dettor, 120

3. Worcester, Juan Hernandez, 120

4, Hard to Figure, Ramon Vazquez, 120

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Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Havnameltdown notched his second consecutive graded stakes win as he powered off the turn en route to an impressive 1 ½-length score in Sunday's $200,000 San Vicente (G2) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez and trained by Bob Baffert, Havnameltdown got seven furlongs in 1:22.29.

Breaking sharply from his rail post, Havnameltdown, in his third consecutive try at seven panels, assumed control out of the chute and dictated the pace with 25-1 longshot Man Child at his hip to the three-furlong pole. From there, he opened up a three-length advantage turning for home over stablemate Faustin and won under a hand ride from Hernandez, who chalked up his meet-leading eighth stakes victory.

“I felt out of the gate, with the first jump, he broke really fast and strong and then after that, I felt like I was just cruising,” said Hernandez. “He was kind of waiting for horses, I was doing the same thing. I was waiting for him and waiting for the competition to get close to me so I could start making my horse run.

“At the three-eighths, I felt the pressure a little bit and I asked him and he responded really well. Turning for home, he switched leads and he picked it up by himself.”

A handy winner of the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) with Hernandez up Nov. 20 at Del Mar, Havnameltdown was the actual even money-favorite in the San Vicente's field of four and paid $4 for the win.

“A lot of horses that get the rail hate drawing it,” said Baffert, who chalked up his record 12th win in the San Vicente. “This horse is built for this distance, that's him, one turn. He will stay one turn.”

A $200,000 purchase by his connections last April at the OBS spring 2-year-olds in training sale, where Blas Perez Stables was the consignor, Havnameltdown, a Florida-bred colt by Uncaptured out of the Put it Back mare Ashely's Babe, notched his third graded stakes win as he took the Best Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar three starts back on Aug. 14.

With four wins and a second from five starts, Havnameltdown picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $408,000.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, second wagering choice Faustin, who kept to his task through the lane, finished 8 ¾ lengths in front of stablemate Fort Warren, giving Baffert the San Vicente trifecta.

Fractions on the race were :22.46, :45.46, and 1:09.67.

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Scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest Stakes (G3) Saturday at Oaklawn, Protege's name was curiously missing when entries came out Jan. 23.

Asked why late Saturday morning, Ron Moquett of Hot Springs, the colt's trainer, whimsically responded: “He caught a case of Arabian Knight flu.”

Roughly 5 ½ hours later, Moquett's medical opinion was validated when heavily favored Arabian Knight, under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, cruised to a front-running 5 ½-length victory in the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races, for a perfect 2-for-2 record.

“He came out great,” Baffert said via text Sunday morning.

Arabian Knight ($2.80) represented the record sixth Southwest victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and his record-extending 19th overall in a Kentucky Derby (G1) points race at Oaklawn. The Southern California-based Baffert was richly rewarded – again – with an 11th-hour decision to ship another swift 3-year-old to Oaklawn.

Arabian Knight was under consideration for the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita before Baffert opted for another road trip following the colt's five-furlong workout there Jan. 21. News broke the following day that Arabian Knight would make his 3-year-old, stakes and two-turn debut in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest.

“That's why I decided at the last minute,” Baffert said in the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle following the Southwest. “What I do is I nominate my horses everywhere and whoever's doing great that week gets on a plane.”

Arabian Knight, as a heavy favorite, was a front-running 7 ¼-length winner of his Nov. 5 career debut at Keeneland. Racing over a fast main track on the Breeders' Cup undercard Nov.5, Arabian Knight covered seven furlongs in 1:21.98 to generate an eye-catching 97 Beyer Speed Figure. Baffert brought him up to the Southwest off workouts, eight at Santa Anita since Nov. 28. Arabian Knight received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 96 for the Southwest.

“His first performance was off the charts, but I gave him a lot of time in between,” Baffert said. “I've been just bringing him along at a very easy pace. It was good. You give them time between races.”

Plans for Arabian Knight are pending, Baffert said. Arabian Knight is owned Zedan Racing Stables  (Amr F. Zedan), which purchased the son of champion Uncle Mo for a sale-topping $2.3 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training.

“There's no rush,” Baffert said. “I just want to keep him healthy and happy. You saw what he did today. It was like an American Pharoah-type race.”

American Pharoah, an Eclipse Award winner at 2 for Baffert, made his 3-year-old debut in Oaklawn's Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles in 2015. After bobbling at the start, American Pharoah shot to the front, controlled the pace, and rolled home by 6 ¼ lengths over a sloppy, sealed surface. American Pharoah ($2.80) covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.78. He returned to Oaklawn to dominate the Arkansas Derby (G1) before sweeping the Triple Crown and securing Horse of the Year honors.

Arabian Knight also raced over a sloppy, sealed surface Saturday after light rain began falling about 15 minutes before racing began at noon (CT). Pressed from the start by long shot Frosted Departure, Arabian Knight was able to clear the field from post 6 entering the first turn and held a 1 ½-length lead after a solid :46.82 half-mile. Arabian Knight shook off a stubborn Frosted Departure approaching the eighth pole and drew off in the final sixteenth of a mile. The winning time was 1:43.50.

“I just read the horse,” Baffert said. “He was telling me. I was going to run him seven-eighths tomorrow and I thought: 'You know what? This horse was ready to go a mile. He's ready to go two turns right now.' And a matter of fact, Johnny told me when he won at Keeneland I had him fit enough to go a mile. He's a superior 3-year-old.”

The Southwest offered 40 points (20-8-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Arabian Knight was ineligible for Southwest qualifying points because of Baffert's two-year suspension by Churchill Downs. It stems from his Medina Spirit being disqualified from a 2021 Kentucky Derby victory because of a medication violation. The case is under appeal.

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25 and the $1.25-million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles April 1. Unbeaten Victory Formation (3 for 3) captured the first race in the series, the Smarty Jones Stakes at one mile Jan. 1, for trainer Brad Cox.

In addition to the Southwest, Baffert has won the Rebel a record eight times and has four victories in the Arkansas Derby. He's also won the Smarty Jones once. Cox (four) and Baffert (three) have combined to win seven of Oaklawn's last 10 Kentucky Derby points races. Cox could have multiple Rebel starters.

“We'll definitely have something here for the Rebel,” Baffert said.

Arabian Knight is the most lightly raced horse Baffert has brought to Oaklawn for a Kentucky Derby prep. He has had 41 starters.

Baffert's appearance Saturday was his first for a race at Oaklawn since Arkansas Derby Day in 2011.

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Zedan Racing Stables LLC's Arabian Knight came into Saturday's $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) as one of the most highly touted 3-year-olds in the country and lived up to the hype with a dominating 5 ½-length victory at Oaklawn Park before an on-track crowd of 27,000.

Despite making just his second career start and first on a sloppy track, Arabian Knight shot to the lead like a veteran and proceeded through fractions of :22.98 and :46.82 for the first half mile. Jockey John Velazquez gave him a breather down the backside and his nearest rival, Frosted Departure, was able to get within a length of him around the turn for home, but the ending was never really in doubt. Arabian Knight had plenty left to hold off Red Route One, who closed from last to get second. The winning time was 1:43.50 for 1 1/16 miles over sloppy track.

Renaissance Stakes winner Frosted Departure held on for third and was followed by his stablemate Sun Thunder, Jace's Road, Corona Bolt, El Tomate and Western Ghent.

The Southwest carried 40 total points towards eligibility for the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1), but Arabian Knight is ineligible for points because of trainer Bob Baffert's two-year suspension by Churchill Downs, stemming from Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit being disqualified from a 2021 Kentucky Derby victory for a medication violation. Red Route One earned eight points, Frosted Departure received six points, Sun Thunder got four points, and Jace's Road got two points.

Jace's Road is currently ranked fifth on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboad with 15 total points, Red Route One is ranked sixth with 13 points, and Frosted Departure is ranked 16th with six points. Only the top 20 point-earners can start in the Kentucky Derby.

Arabian Knight, a $2.3 million 2-year-old in training purchase, is now a perfect two for two and has earned $544,275. The son of Uncle Mo returned $2.80 or the win.

The victory was a record-breaking sixth for Baffert in the Southwest and a third for jockey John Velazquez.

Arabian Knight was bred in Kentucky by Corser Thoroughbred LLC. His dam is the Astrology mare Borealis Night. The bay colt was a $2.3-million purchase at the 2022 OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, where Top Line Sales consigned.

Southwest Stakes Quotes

Winning jockey John Velazquez: “He made it look easy. He broke well and I took advantage of it. Obviously, he's pretty quick and I let him push along into the first turn. He was kind of looking around a lot. Finally got to the backstretch and I moved out from the rail a little bit, just to get him to relax. Horses were coming and he felt the noise and goes on. Second turn, I dropped in right on the rail. At the quarter pole, I went after him, and he opened up and he saw the tire track (from starting gate). I said, 'Come on buddy, don't do something stupid.' I hit him once, right before we got to the tire track. He kind of hesitated and then he sees the light and I hit him one more time and all of a sudden, he takes off on me. Going to the wire I was like, 'OK, that's what I wanted to see.'”

Winning trainer Bob Baffert: “When he got away and got in that high cruising (speed) down the backside I thought, 'Well, if he's as good as I think he is, there's no excuse.' If he got beat today, the distance was going to get him. These good horses are hard to come by. We've had a lot of luck here at Oaklawn, so it was nice to have a horse like this. What he did today, he ran 1:43 and change, that's racehorse time and he did it without taking a deep breath. This was a big effort, so he needs time in between (races). We'll play it by ear (regarding his next start).”

Trainer Steve Asmussen, second with Red Route One: “I think the circumstances of today, who handled it (sloppy track), who didn't, that kind of thing – obviously, the winner is an extremely nice horse. I think our horse, we've always been excited about being able to run him further.”

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