Pilot Commander

Muth Takes San Vicente with Style

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...

[ Read More ]
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Runner-Up Muth Headlines San Vicente

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...

[ Read More ]
The Week In Review: Baffert 2-Year-Old Horsepower Evident On Del Mar Opening Weekend

Trainer Bob Baffert went 0-for-9 in Breeders' Cup races, and four months ago he received his dis-invitation to the 150th GI Kentucky Derby in the form of an extension of his original two-year suspension from properties owned by the gaming company Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI). But neither the Breeders' Cup blanking nor the Derby banishment should be taken as indications that the Hall-of-Fame conditioner is running low on horsepower, particularly in the 2-year-old division. A pair of Baffert juveniles on the first two days of the Del Mar meeting this...

[ Read More ]
Sharp Debut Winner for the Red-Hot Justify at Del Mar

2nd-Del Mar, $61,500, Msw, 11-11, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.82, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. PILOT COMMANDER (c, 2, Justify--Rebuke, by Carson City), drawn on the inside in post two, ran to the money as the 6-5 favorite on debut. The $700,000 OBS March breezer broke like a shot and was pressed to his inside through an opening quarter of :22.89. He began to shake free rounding the far turn, kicked for home as the one to catch, and, despite hanging on his left lead down the stretch, handled his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate...

[ Read More ]
Saturday Insights: Pricey Sons Of Into Mischief And Justify Debut At Del Mar For Baffert

2nd-DMR, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 4:00 p.m. A couple of pricey colts will lineup for their Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on Saturday at Del Mar. IMAGINATION (Into Mischief) was purchased for $1,050,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September by SF Bloodstock/Starlight Racing/Madaket before adding investors Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovon and Tom Ryan. The bay colt out of GSW Magical Feeling (Empire Maker) counts Oaklawn Mile S. hero Exulting (Tapit) as a half-brother and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine Occult as a full-sister....

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.