Parenting

Runners gearing up towards the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic worked over the weekend with three weeks to the big race. Last year's winner, 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) may not return to defend his title after finishing fourth in the GII San Diego per trainer Bob Baffert. "He's doing fine," Baffert said. "But I don't know what I'm going to run in the Pacific Classic." Meanwhile Subsanador (Fortify), one of two Argentine-breds thought to be headed to the Pacific Classic, will instead run in the GIII Iselin...

An interval of 136 years between Apollo and Justify, followed by one of just five to Mage, tells us all we need to know about the way modern trainers can (and increasingly prefer to) prepare their Derby prospects. So these remain very early days for the freshmen sires, nowadays responsible for such a large portion of every juvenile crop. In this era of monster books, especially, even the rookie with most action to date has barely scratched the surface. At the moment that's Vekoma, who lies second in the freshman...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the GI Travers Stakes three times, could be going for No. 4 in this year's Midsummer Derby Baffert, speaking from his summer base at Del Mar in California, said that one of his 3-year-olds--Parenting (Justify) or Muth (Good Magic) who were both tabbed as 'TDN Rising Stars'--could represent him in the $1.25 million race at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 24. "Potentially," he said. Parenting, owned by Wathnan Racing, was a $750,000 purchase at the 2023 Ocala 2-year-olds in training...

4th-Del Mar, $78,000, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 7-28, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:36.43, ft, neck. PARENTING (c, 3, Justify--Iadorakid, by Lemon Drop Kid) broke his maiden at first asking by 2 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita Apr. 26, which earned him a 'TDN Rising Star'. Ready for his stakes debut and first two-turn test, the colt drove down the Arcadian course in fine style to win by 7 1/2 lengths June 9. Supported at the windows at 40 cents on the dollar, Wathnan Racing's own took the field into the first turn...

There were three different winners of the Triple Crown races and the four Grade I preps leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby were won by still four other horses. That means that as the second half of the 3-year-old season starts in earnest with the July 20 GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth, the race for the 3-year-old championship is as wide open as possible. Danny Gargan, the trainer of GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic), knows that. But Gargan, who has never lacked confidence in his 3-year-old colt,...

With a spring in his step down the lane, it was 'TDN Rising Star' Parenting (Justify) who won his first black-type in the Affirmed S. at Santa Anita Park on Sunday. The colt made his debut a success when he won by 2 3/4 lengths at 'The Great Race Place' Apr. 26. That effort earned him 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Trying two turns and against much tougher company here, Parenting was backed at 80 cents on the dollar. The Bob Baffert trainee got down to business heading into the first...

In a debut befitting his princely price tag, Parenting (c, 3, Justify--Iadorakid, by Lemon Drop Kid) kicked away from a well-met group of maidens at Santa Anita Park, and became the newest 'TDN Rising Star' to hail from the Bob Baffert barn. Hugging the rail after coming out a narrow leader via a scramble for the front, Parenting rolled into the lead off of :22.42 and :45.48 splits, and had put away most of his early competition by midstretch. Shaking loose under hand-urging, Parenting found enough in the tank to...

6th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 5 1/2f, 6:30 p.m. ET. PARENTING (Justify) debuts for Gandharvi LLC., who purchased the colt at last year's OBS April Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale for $750,000. The Bob Baffert trainee's dam is a half-sister to Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW Zero Tolerence (Mizzen Mast). The other half of the Baffert uncoupled entry is first time starter Middleburg (Tapit). A $485,000 buy for SF Bloodstock, Starlight and Madaket at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, the gray is out of MGSW Selcourt (Tiz...