TDN RISING STARS

April 6, 2013 - Santa Anita, Race 3, Msw, USD $56,000, 6F

Declassify, c, 3, 2010 by Orientate

1st Dam: Mir Cat, by Tale of the Cat
2nd Dam: Destination Mir, by Cherokee Colony
3rd Dam: Northern Meteor, by Northern Dancer

Owner: Kaleem Shah
Breeder: Gaines-Gentry Thoroughbreds (KY)
Trainer: Bob Baffert

Declassify RNA’d for just $8,500 as a weanling at the 2010 Keeneland November sale, and went for $17,000 to Preston Stables at Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. Consigned by Eddie Woods to last term’s OBS April Sale, the dark bay breezed in :10 flat and brought the event’s third-highest price at $450,000. Fellow eventual Bob Baffert trainee and MGISW Executiveprivilege (First Samurai), herself a "TDN Rising Star," topped OBSAPR at $650,000. Showing a typically strong Baffert worktab for this first go, Declassify opened at 1-9 and drifted up to what proved to be a ‘generous’ 2-5. Away in midpack, Declassify was ridden for speed by Martin Garcia and moved up in between horses to duel through an opening quarter in :21.95. He began to inch clear nearing the top of the stretch and, after a brief bobble when switching leads, galloped home a jaw-dropping 11 1/2-length graduate. Fellow firster Drover Crazy (Cowtown Cat) made a sweeping move on the turn to be second. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $33,600.