Baffert Seeks Fourth Straight Classic

DEL MAR, CA–Bob Baffert has already made Breeders' Cup history winning the last three renewals of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, starting with Bayern (Offlee Wild) in 2014, Horse of the Year American Pharoah in 2015 and Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) last year. The Hall of Famer looks to continue that hot streak Saturday at Del Mar when he saddles four very strong chances in the $6 million feature race, including defending champion Arrogate.

Standing outside Del Mar's Barn BB as Arrogate was being hand walked following his morning gallop, Baffert reflected on his Classic success, “I really thought Silver Charm could have won [the 1998 Classic]. It was frustrating [when he finished second to Awesome Again]. I've won it with really good horses. That is what it is. I have never won it with a slow horse.”

A devastating winner of the GI Travers S. in record time, Arrogate bested Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in last year's Classic and was appropriately named the year's champion 3-year-old male. Making a mockery of the $12 million GI Pegasus World Cup with a facile 4 3/4-length victory in January, the “TDN Rising Star” went from last-to-first in seemingly impossible fashion to score another decisive win in the G1 Dubai World Cup in March (video).

The gray has not seemed quite the same since, finishing a lackluster fourth in this venue's GII San Diego H. in July, but improved last time with a runner-up effort to stablemate and fellow Classic runner Collected (City Zip) in the GI Pacific Classic here Aug. 19.

“I thought we were in good shape with him, but then he ran that bad race,” Baffert said. “I don't know what got into him here, but he has been training well. He looked good over the track [Thursday].”

The trainer continued, “He looked good all summer. He just didn't run well here the first time. I know it was a new surface, he was far behind and he just didn't run. The second race wasn't a bad race. He didn't get beat by a bad horse. Collected is really nice. It is tighter turns here, so I think that has a lot to do with it. He is a big, long-striding horse. I think he loses a little bit on the turns. He likes those bigger, wide turns like down at Gulfstream and Saratoga This is really narrow. It is a small track.”

Arrogate drew the rail Saturday, the same post he had in both the Travers and Pegasus. When asked his thoughts on the post, Baffert said, “We don't know til the race. You guys have seen him run. Nothing has changed.”

Arrogate and Collected will bookend the field as the latter will break from the far outside post in this 11-horse affair. Winner of the GIII Lexington S. last term, Collected was shelved after a disappointing 10th in the GI Preakness S. last May.

“He didn't need surgery or anything. We just kicked him out at the farm,” Baffert explained. “He needed a break. He's back and now he is doing great.”

Great is a bit of an understatement. Collected has been perfect in 2017 with four dominant victories from four starts this term. An easy winner of the Santana Mile Apr. 1, he captured the GII Californian S. Apr. 22 with similar ease. Wiping the floor with his competition with a 14-length romp in the GIII Precisionist S. June 24, the 4-year-old went gate-to-wire to best Arrogate by a half-length in the Pacific Classic last time (video).

“He has matured,” Baffert said. “They are all tough, but Collected has a little edge here. He loves this track and has run well here. One thing about this track, is the horses I have run here in the past move way up here. Some move way up and are more effective here and he is one of them, so he will be tough.”

All three of Baffert's previous Classic winners captured the elite test as 3-year-olds and he has another talented sophomore in his arsenal this year in West Coast (Flatter). Winning the Easy Goer S. on a banner day for Baffert on the GI Belmont S. undercard in June, the bay captured the Travers next out Aug. 26 and followed suit with a dominant 7 1/4-length win in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 23, the same race Bayern won prior to his Classic victory (video).

“He was a little bit late to the party [not making his first start until February of this year], but he has really matured,” the conditioner said. “He has changed a lot since his first race this year. I can see a big difference in him. I wanted to run him in the Belmont, but his race before, we just didn't see it. We changed it up a little bit and now he has the confidence. He looks good. He is a horse that is stepping it up now with these older horses. The 3-year-olds have done it before for me.”

Rounding out Baffert's Classic quartet is a relatively fresh face in the barn in Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Previously based in Dubai with Mike de Kock, the 2015 G2 UAE Derby hero was transferred to Baffert after finishing fourth in the Dubai World Cup. The bay has made just one start for the four-time Eclipse-winning conditioner, and it was a successful one, scoring a career high in the GI Awesome Again S. Sept. 30 (video).

“He is a fighter,” Baffert said. “I don't know that much about him. I threw him in [the Awesome Again] because he worked really well. He wasn't really ready for it and he won. Since then he has been training well. I think he is a good horse.”

Baffert will saddle seven other Breeders' Cup contenders prior to the Classic, including one of the heavy hitters in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Abel Tasman (Quality Road). Springing a mild upset with a powerful last-to-first victory in the GI Kentucky Oaks in May, the China Horse Club and Clearsky Farm runner followed suit with wins in Belmont's GI Acorn S. in June and Saratoga's GI CCA Oaks July 23 (video), but her hot streak ended last time at Parx when second in the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 23.

“She is one of our favorites in the barn,” Baffert said with a fond smile. “She is so sweet. She has the temperament of American Pharoah. She needs pace. She needs a lot of pace to run at. She doesn't get the pace then she is in trouble. I think the one filly [Champagne Room (Broken Vow)] is fast and Paradise Woods (Union Rags), she's fast. Speed is dangerous here. They keep going. It's hard.”

Baffert also sends out a pair of talented sprinters in champion Drefong (Gio Ponti) and Grade I winner Constellation (Bellamy Road). Capturing last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint en route to an Eclipse award, Drefong made his seasonal bow in Del Mar's GI Bing Crosby S. July 29, where he veered sharply left at the break, dropping jockey Mike Smith. The “TDN Rising Star” made amends last time at Saratoga with a dominant success in the GI Forego S. Aug. 26 (video).

“Drefong is stuck in the two-hole,” Baffert said. “I drew horrible. I wanted to throw up after the draw. He had the two when he ducked, but he was pushed into there. Hopefully that doesn't happen and he is past that.”

Heroine of the GI La Brea S. last term, Constellation has finished second in all four of her previous starts this season, most recently completing the exacta behind the reopposing Skye Diamonds (First Dude) in the GIII Rancho Bernardo H. Aug. 13. Previously trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the “TDN Rising Star” will be making her first start for Baffert in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint.

“She is training well,” Baffert said. “It looks like it is a pretty tough race. There are some serious, salty fillies in there. I've been watching that Unique Bella (Tapit) train. She is pretty fast. She is freaky.”

The Arizona native sends out a pair of intriguing competitors in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) and Cupid (Tapit). The former was last seen scoring a career-high at Belmont June 10 with a decisive 6 1/4-length victory in the GI Metropolitan H. (video) and has been on the bench since.

“Mor Spirit, if he shows up, is a monster,” Baffert said. “He was a little bit erratic when he came back up after the [Met Mile]. It has taken him a long time to get back into the swing of things. But, his last works have been good. He didn't want to train there for a little bit, but now he is doing well.”

Kicking off this term with a seemingly effortless victory in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita off an eight-month layoff May 27 (video), Cupid took the one-mile Harry Brubaker S. at Del Mar next out Aug. 23, but could only manage fourth last time in the Awesome Again.

“Cupid is a tweener, like a mile and an eighth,” Baffert said. “I am hoping if they go extremely fast early, he can come get them.”

Completing Baffert's Breeders' Cup contingent are his two juvenile runners Solomini (Curlin) and Alluring Star (Exchange Rate). A debut winner here Sept. 2, the former was a well-beaten second behind race GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile favorite Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) last time in the GI FrontRunner S. at Santa Anita Sept. 30.

“He is a nice horse,” Baffert said. “The favorite is pretty tough. He is improving, but he is just a grinder.”

Alluring Star broke her maiden at the Seaside oval just one day after Solomini and checked in second behind undefeated Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), who headlines the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, last time in the GI Chandelier S. in Arcadia Sept. 30.

“She is fast,” Baffert said. “I didn't like her post [nine]. I would have liked to have been in the two or three with her. I don't think she can get an easy lead, but her weapon is her speed.”

Baffert has saddled some prestigious Breeders' Cup winners in the past, such as fellow Hall of Famer Silverbulletday; champions Indian Blessing and Midnight Lute; and, of course, American Pharoah, who completed what is being called the “Grand Slam” when following his Triple Crown success with a win in the Classic (video).

“I knew I was taking base on balls [in American Pharoah's Classic],” Baffert quipped. “Nobody was going to touch him. He was just so good. I never was nervous at any time in the race.”

With 11 chances to add to his list of Breeders' Cup victories, which currently stands at 14, the Hall of Famer took a moment to reflect on his best Breeders' Cup memories.

“Man, I've had a lot of them,” Baffert said. “My first one was really special with Thirtyslews [in the 1992 Sprint] because I thought I'd never win another Breeders' Cup. I really think Arrogate last year running down California Chrome when it looked like an impossible task turning for home. That was probably my most exciting Breeders' Cup Classic (video).”

Saturday will be the last time Baffert saddles Arrogate as North America's richest Thoroughbred is scheduled to retire to Juddmonte Farm after the Classic.

“I think it was tougher to saddle American Pharoah for the last time,” Baffert said. “That was the toughest. Pharoah loved human contact and was like your pet. While this guy, you can't really get that close to him. You don't like to see any of them retire because they are so much fun and bring you so many memories. I just hope he runs his race. I feel the pressure. I just want him to lay it out there and see the real Arrogate and what he has.”