Cupid on Course for Arkansas Derby

The 2016 Super Bowl is a fond day for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, not only was he in attendance, thanks to Horse of the Year American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)'s effort in winning last year's Triple Crown, but one of his trainees, future GII Rebel S. winner Cupid (Tapit), broke his maiden at third asking going

1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita Feb. 7. Owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier, the pale grey promptly doubled up at the graded level shipped to Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 19, and appears to be on course to follow in the hoofprints of his illustrious former stablemate, returning for Saturday's 1 1/8-mile GI Arkansas Derby in Hot Springs.

“Going in [to the Rebel] we were hoping he was going to run well, but you really don't know how he's going to fit,” Baffert, shooting for his third GI Arkansas Derby title after American Pharoah last year and Bodemeister (Empire Maker) in 2012, commented during the NTRA teleconference Tuesday. “He handled the trip well, broke a step slow, rushed up, still made the lead, almost hit the rail, but still managed to hold off that fast-closing Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect). He showed us something different. I was pretty happy with his run. I haven't seen him regress.”

Cupid breezed four furlongs in :48.20 (24/54) at Santa Anita Park Tuesday morning and he will ship to Arkansas Wednesday.

“He's worked well, he breezed [Tuesday], did an easy half-mile,” Baffert said. “He looks ready. Hopefully he'll get a decent post, but he needs to break a little bit better though. Speed is his weapon, so he needs to get in the race early. You still need racing luck.”

Baffert has worked with other members of Cupid's family, including San Pedro S. hero Indianapolis (Medaglia d'Oro), but was quick to note that Cupid is formed from a different mould.

“He's very fast and a beautiful longstriding horse,” Baffert explained. “He's probably about 16.1, 16.2, he's a good size. He's not a big wide horse, so it's easier on him. I ran him first out [fourth in a Los Alamitos maiden Dec. 20] and he wasn't that quick. He's come around quickly since January. He's really matured a lot. Like most Tapits, they can get a little bit excited. We've put a lot of work into him to keep him focused and relax a little bit.”

Looking forward to May 7, Baffert is cognizant of what kind of horse it takes to get to the Derby and to be effective during the other two jewels of the demanding Triple Crown.

“When you have horses like Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) and Cupid, that look like they are going to be competitive, it's an honor [to get there], there's a little hope, a little dream, to get in that gate,” Baffert noted. “Some horses have a small window of greatness, American Pharoah had a window all year long.”

The Baffert-trained GI Los Alamitos Futurity winner Mor Spirit came out of his runner-up performance in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby in good shape, according to Baffert. The Michael Lund Petersen colorbearer won the GII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 6, before a second-place effort behind 'TDN Rising Star' Danzing Candy (Twirling Candy) in the Mar. 12 San Felipe S. He is expected to ship to Louisville next week.

“He actually came out of [the Santa Anita Derby] very well,” Baffert said. “He went back to the track today. We were wanting to be near the lead, but Gary [Stevens] said that everybody left there like their hair was on fire. The pace was just brutal early. The winner [Exaggerator {Curlin}] ran a great race. But, Mor Spirit looks great. We'll move on. He's first or second every time, you need that. He's a big, strong horse, just doesn't like the mud. He's always been a little spooky. We survived it, the horse came back great.”

Another Baffert-trained sophomore, Speedway Stable's Collected (City Zip) will resurface in the GIII Coolmore Lexington S. at Keeneland Saturday. He also breezed a half-mile in :48 flat (16/54) at Santa Anita Tuesday.

“I liked the way Collected worked,” said Baffert. “We'll see what he does. I don't know about a mile and a quarter for him. We aren't really sold on the idea of him running that far. If he were to run well there, the [May 21] GI Preakness S. might be an option. One race at a time. We're being realistic for him about the distance.”