Medina Spirit (Protonico), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby, will not be making the trip to Parx this weekend.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Tuesday that the GI Kentucky Derby winner will remain in California and instead run in the GI Awesome Again S. against older horses at Santa Anita Oct. 2.
“I want to do what is best for the horse,” Baffert said. “I don't like the way he drew.”
Medina Spirit was assigned post position nine in the Pennsylvania Derby.
Medina Spirit, third as the favorite in the GI Preakness S., won Del Mar's Shared Belief S. Aug. 29.
“I was really looking forward to it,” Baffert said. “It's a great race with him in there, but it's something I have to do. I feel that part of my success is knowing when to run. This is a management call of mine.”
Baffert also said that Private Mission (Into Mischief), a runaway winner of the GIII Torrey Pines S., will bypass Saturday's GI Cotillion S. and instead point to the GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita Oct. 3.
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