Bob Baffert

Maymun (Frosted), a $50,000 KEESEP yearling pinhooked into a $900,000 OBS April 2-year-old by Paul Neatherlin, and racing for trainer Bob Baffert and Zedan Racing Stables, absolutely rolled on the front end Saturday in his 6 1/2-furlong debut to become the latest 'TDN Rising Star'. Maymun was an OBS April star, breezing in :9 3/5 and leaving no doubt in his now-trainer's mind of his ability. "He was ridiculously fast," Baffert said of the colt shortly after the sale. "He worked beautifully and came out of it well. That's half...

1st-SA, $65K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 3:30 p.m. A pair of pricey Bob Baffert stablemates make their anticipated debuts Saturday to open the card at Santa Anita. NORMANDY LANDING (Gun Runner), out of a daughter of MGISW and Kentucky Oaks heroine Flute (Seattle Slew), brought $1,050,000 from the 'Avengers' as a yearling at Keeneland. Dam Perfect Flute, who has already produced this runner's winning full-sibling, is herself a half to GSW/MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast) and to the dams of GSW Current (Curlin) and GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft). He'll break...

The immaculately bred MIZZYAAN becomes the first starter in the Emirates for the all-conquering Justify and can make her presence felt at first asking in Friday's Cocoa Beach S. (allowance), a 1600-meter event restricted to 3-year-old fillies at Meydan Racecourse. The Mar. 5 foal, a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, is the first foal out of Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}), a Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, whose two local starts for trainer Mike de Kock included a runner-up effort to Polar River (Congrats)...

Early nominations for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to become eligible to compete in the 2024 Triple Crown are now open and suspended trainers have until Jan. 29 to move their horses, Churchill Downs said in a release Friday afternoon. The early nomination phase will close Monday, Jan. 29 with the $600 payment only available to be made online. Horses not nominated by Jan. 29 can still enter with a $6,000 payment due Monday, Apr. 1. Last year's early Triple Crown nominations attracted 369 horses and 13 late nominees. Horses under the care...

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) has released the names of the 1162 entries--including 41 Grade I/Group 1 winners--from no fewer than 15 racing jurisdictions around the world for the US$33.5 million Saudi Cup meeting to be held at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. Prize money is up by $2.25 million as compared to the 2023 renewal, reflecting the upgrades of the Neom Turf Cup (2100mT) and 1351 Turf Sprint to international Group 2 status. One of the two races for Purebred Arabians--the Al Mneefah...

Announcer Frank Mirahmadi said it best: friends in the morning, but rivals in the afternoons. Muth (Good Magic) put away stablemate Pilot Commander (Justify) en route to an authoritative victory in the GII San Vicente S. to open his 2024 season. First or second for all four starts in his juvenile season, including victory in the GI American Pharoah S. two back and a runner-up effort behind fellow Eclipse finalist Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the betting public heralded this contest as Muth's to...

Zedan Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic), winner of the GI American Pharoah S. and runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, will take on five rivals in Saturday's seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita. Regular rider Juan J. Hernandez will be aboard the 4-5 morning-line favorite. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will also saddle front-running Del Mar debut winner and 5-2 second-choice Pilot Commander (Justify). Baffert is seeking his record 13th win in the San Vicente, which was previously held in early February. "They changed...

Trainers Brad Cox, Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher all have victories to their credit in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and each of the three champion trainers will have an opportunity to add to those numbers in this year's $3-million feature Saturday, Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Cox, who won the the 2021 renewal with Knicks Go (Paynter), looks set to be represented by a pair of entrants in the nine-furlong contest. Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), front-running winner of the GI Pennsylvania Derby last September, will seek to...

The two defendants facing allegations of civil extortion and defamation in a federal lawsuit initiated by trainer Bob Baffert and his incorporated racing stable are contending that the case should be dismissed because "Baffert is the rare, libel-proof plaintiff given his notorious history in the horse racing industry," according to a discovery plan filed jointly by lawyers for all sides in United States District Court (Southern District of California) Jan. 2. Baffert's legal team, however, is banking that dismissal won't happen, and it told the court in the same document...

6th-FG, $52K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 4:15 p.m. Starting the New Year off in Louisiana, WHO'S TICKET (Quality Road) is a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi, a mare who has changed hands for sums of $6m, $3.2m and most recently in 2021 when Three Chimneys Farm went to $1.15m for her. Who's Ticket, herself a $450,000 weanling, is a half to SW Courvoisier (Tapit). Take Charge Brandi has seen her branch of the family tree grow more fruitful recently with the success of her half-brother, freshman sire...

Two-time Grade I winner Defunded (Dialed In) will point towards the G1 Saudi Cup for new connections after having been privately purchased. The news, announced Saturday evening via a release, notes that the colt was bought for an undisclosed sum by Dr. Muhaideb Abdullah Almuhaideb's HDB Racing Stable, a new Saudi Arabian owner, and arrived in Saudi Arabia Dec. 18. "He is an exceptional horse and has the profile, hopefully, to be a great asset to Riyadh racing and to do well in the Saudi Cup," said Khalid Mishref. In...

Michael Lund Peterson's Kinza (Carpe Diem--Secret Wonder, by Quality Road) debuted in 'TDN Rising Star' style Friday, leading a field of maiden fillies at Santa Anita gate-to-wire to graduate for trainer Bob Baffert. Purchased for $350,000 as a 2-year-old earlier this year at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale after breezing in :10.1, the 5-1 shot prepped for this spot with a pair of back-to-back bullet works earlier in the month (five furlongs from the gate in :59 3/5 {1/9} Nov. 29 and again in 1:00 flat {1/4}...