Bob Baffert Set for Return to Horse Racing at Los Alamitos This Weekend
Corridor of Fame thoroughbred coach Bob Baffert is about to return to racing this weekend after having served his 90-day suspension.
Coach Bob Baffert, proven right here at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., will return to racing this weekend for the primary time since his 90-day suspension ended earlier this month. The corridor of fame coach is about to subject 4 horses in two races Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California. (Picture: NBC Information)
Baffert, who was suspended by Kentucky Horse Racing Fee stewards because of Medina Spirit failing a drug check after the 2021 Kentucky Derby, entered 4 horses for Saturday’s races at Los Alamitos Race Course. He has Western Cape, a 3-year-old colt making his debut, and Rhetoric, a horse that final raced practically 11 months in the past, in a $50,000 maiden race on the Southern California monitor.
The opposite two are set to race within the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby. Each Excessive Connection and Doppelganger final raced a month in the past below totally different trainers (Sean McCarthy and Tim Yakteen, respectively) within the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park, the place they completed second and third within the subject of 4.
He additionally has a 3-year-old filly, Spooky Woman, working in a $50,000 maiden race Sunday on the monitor.
Baffert’s suspension ended final Sunday, and as soon as it did, the coach resumed operations at his base at Santa Anita. He informed the Los Angeles Times that some homeowners are holding off on returning their horses to him. He did lose some horses, together with final yr’s 2-year-old champion Corniche, whose proprietor moved him to coach Todd Pletcher.
That damage,” Baffert mentioned. “All in all, I’ve acquired (a) nice group of homeowners. They hung there in there with me, they know the reality and the details.”
Whereas Baffert accomplished his suspension, he’s nonetheless preventing the choice by the stewards, who additionally disqualified Medina Spirit because the winner of final yr’s Derby.
Nonetheless Banned at Churchill, NYRA Tracks
As well as, he nonetheless has a federal lawsuit in opposition to Churchill Downs, which issued its personal ban in opposition to him by subsequent yr’s Derby in any respect of its tracks. The ban additionally prohibits his horses on this yr’s 2-year-old class from incomes factors in qualifying races for subsequent yr’s Derby.
He additionally was suspended by the New York Racing Affiliation (NYRA) by Jan. 26, 2023 from fielding horses at its three tracks. NYRA officers introduced that call two weeks in the past after a prolonged course of that additionally included a federal court docket case.
Los Alamitos’ meet ends this weekend, and Baffert has plans to run horses this summer season at Del Mar, one other Southern California monitor.
Baffert Nominates Two for Haskell
The following main race for Baffert will probably be the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. On Thursday, the New Jersey monitor introduced 19 horses have been nominated for the July 23 1-1/8-mile race, and Baffert submitted two of his prime horses for the $1 million race.
Taiba received the Santa Anita Derby below Yakteen however then completed a disappointing twelfth in what was simply his third profession begin. He hasn’t raced since and can search for his third win.
Pinehurst, like Taiba, received his first two begins. Since then, although, he’s solely received as soon as – the Saudi Derby in February – in his final 4 races. The colt final raced within the March 26 UAE Derby, the place he completed final and confirmed some lameness.
Tom Ryan, managing associate for Pinehurst’s principal proprietor SF Racing, mentioned the colt additionally suffered a minor eye harm throughout that race. Pinehurst’s connections rested him for 30 days earlier than getting him prepared for the summer season racing season.
The sector received’t be set till the week of the race, however the prime contender for the Haskell could also be Jack Christopher. The Chad Brown-trained colt is unbeaten in 4 begins, together with three graded stakes wins. Nonetheless, he’s by no means raced longer than a mile. He additionally has not run in a two-turn race.
One other robust contender can be Early Voting, one other Brown colt who has three wins in 4 begins. That features the Could 21 Preakness, which he received by a size and 1 / 4 over Epicenter.
