Hronis Racing's Accelerate stunned the world July 22 with a dominant upset in the $300,000 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2). Jockey Victor Espinoza sent the horse to a gate-to-wire victory as Mike Smith was unable to get heavily favored Arrogate going.
All Arrogate has to do is show up and be Arrogate, and the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) is a foregone conclusion, which is exactly why his connections will have their minds stressed until they see the expected ending.
The jump Abel Tasman has on her foes in terms of divisional supremacy can further grow July 23 when the daughter of Quality Road heads up a field of seven entered for the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
It wasn't long after West Coast's 2 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Los Alamitos Derby that the word "Travers" came out of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's mouth.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate logged his final timed workout for the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) under the watchful eye of Bob Baffert and met his trainer's expectations with a six-furlong run in 1:11 flat.
California's last graded stakes on dirt restricted to 3-year-olds is a test of sorts for at least two entrants.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate stepped up his workout regimen July 8 at Santa Anita Park in preparation for his next start in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2).
Drawing away from the field without seeing the whip, Bob Baffert-trained Zulfikhar delivered on his lofty price tag, winning his debut by 3 3/4 lengths July 7 at Los Alamitos Race Course.
The more Arrogate accomplishes, the more we want to see if he can top it. Unlike the vast majority of today's champions, we want to know just how high a ceiling our champions have.
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Belmont Derby and Iowa Derby
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's group 2 winner Mubtaahij has been relocated to Southern California and is now under the care of trainer Bob Baffert.
While Arrogate is fueling the massive earnings of Baffert and Smith, they have teamed to win grade 1 races this year with Abel Tasman and Mor Spirit. Smith also rides champion Songbird; Baffert has multiple graded stakes winner Vale Dori.
Trainer Bob Baffert has a habit of comparing his horses to human athletes, and with a wide grin on his face he went to the well again July 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Santa Anita clockers timed Arrogate's six furlongs in 1:12 3/5, with a gallop out to seven furlongs in 1:26 1/6.
The margin may have only been a neck over challenger Ransom the Moon, but the context of Danzing Candy's win in the San Carlos Stakes (G2) may put his performance at or near the top of his résumé.
After finishing up some turnout time at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, grade 1 winner Masochistic will be transferred to the barn of trainer Bob Baffert, co-owner Will Shamlian said June 30.
Baoma Corporation's Drefong, the reigning Eclipse Award champion male sprinter, has been cranking his form up over the last month and could make his 2017 debut in the six-furlong, $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), trainer Bob Baffert said June 29.
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Mother Goose Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park
The parade of Bob Baffert-trained top threats is set to march on this weekend with Danzing Candy installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite to keep the train rolling in the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park July 1.
Champion Arrogate continued his preparations for the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) with a six-furlong work in 1:12 2/5 under jockey Martin Garcia June 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Zedan Racing Stables' Keane came into Doug O'Neill's Southern California stable in December with some lofty expectations.
After a stint at Julie Adair-Stack's farm—where trainer Richard Mandella also sent four-time champion Beholder for some time off—Paradise Woods got back to serious training June 18 at Santa Anita Park with an easy half-mile breeze.
Baoma Corporation's Faypien continued her trip up the class ladder June 17 with a victory in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park, but she needed every ounce of effort in the final strides.
The Bob Baffert-trained duo of Faypien and Noted and Quoted—the top two finishers in the May 14 Angels Flight Stakes—will stretch out and square off once again in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) June 17 at Santa Anita Park.
Undefeated grade 1 winner Mastery has been retired after arriving at Claiborne Farm June 12, according to representative Bernie Sams. The 3-year-old son of Candy Ride (ARG) will begin stud duty at the Kentucky operation in 2018.
American Anthem left his field in arrears as he scored a powerful victory in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes, giving his trainer Bob Baffert a third win on the Belmont Stakes card
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert brought West Coast to the East Coast ready to rumble, and the son of Flatter impressed like a 9-5 choice should June 10 in the $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park.
Sagamore Farm's Recruiting Ready will try to extend his win streak to four June 10 in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, but he'll have to fend off a trio of last-out grade 3 winners if he wants to earn his own graded score.
Michael Lund Petersen, a co-owner of the successful worldwide Pandora Jewelry company, hopes his Mor Spirit will become an unforgettable keepsake by continuing to win mid-distance races at the highest level.
Abel Tasman will cut back in distance when the daughter of Quality Road tries the one-turn mile of the Acorn Stakes (G1) June 10 at Belmont Park.
Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate got back to work June 6 at Santa Anita Park, where he put in his first timed breeze since his victory in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1).
Juddmonte Farms' champion Arrogate is likely to make his next start in the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) July 22 at Del Mar, trainer Bob Baffert said June 5.
Songbird may be heading to New York, but the short field entered for the June 3 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park still features a showdown of champions and another with similar aspirations.
Danzing Candy was sent off as the 1-5 favorite in the five-horse field of the $200,000 Lone Star Handicap (G3), leading at every call in the 1 1/16-mile test and crossing the wire 4 3/4 lengths in front.
An eight-month layoff seemed to have little effect on Cupid in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) as he won the 1 1/4-mile test May 27 by 3 1/4 lengths.
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1).
Midnight Storm will have another shot at a grade 1 win on dirt in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, and he won't have to contend with Shaman Ghost, who came back to win the Pimlico Special Handicap (G3) May 19 off his Big 'Cap victory.
Two California-breds from Kim McCarthy's McCarthy Bloodstock Agency consignment brought the highest prices at the Barretts May 2-year-old sale, held May 17 at Del Mar.
While the short rest between the first two legs of the Triple Crown has been a popular lament over the years, the modern history of the Preakness Stakes reflects a trend that is actually most unkind to the oft-proclaimed "new shooters."
American Anthem let a trio of frontrunners gun for the lead in the $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) and closed to win the seven-furlong test.
Abel Tasman emerged none the worse for wear following her 1 1/4-lengths Oaks triumph and could resurface in the June 10 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park should she continue to enthuse her Hall of Fame conditioner with her ability to bounce back.
Owner Kaleem Shah's horses have found another barn on the Santa Anita Park backside once again, just more than four months after a split with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on New Year's Eve.
Exactly one year after running off the board in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Michael Lund Peterson's grade 1 winner Mor Spirit notched the first graded score of his 4-year-old season.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Vale Dori extended her winning streak to six May 7 in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes (G3) but needed every bit of stamina to hold off up-and-comer Skye Diamonds.
China Horse Club and Clearsky Farms' Abel Tasman rallied on the outside in the stretch to score a 1 1/4-length victory May 5 in the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.
The industry could use a few more guys like Bob Lewis
A BloodHorse magazine (issue of May 9, 2015) recap of American Pharoah's 2015 Kentucky Derby victory. The story carried the headline, "A Part of History, American Pharoah allows Ahmed Zayat to enter the Derby winner’s circle."
Just watching Martin Garcia's mannerisms aboard Speedway Stable's Collected for every step of the $200,000 Californian Stakes (G2) April 22, it was clear the jockey knew what he had underneath him.
Collected and Cupid, a pair of Bob Baffert-trained runners who did their fair share of damage during their 3-year-old campaigns, will face each other and a unique field in the $200,000 Californian Stakes (G2) April 22 at Santa Anita Park.
Baoma Corporation's Lord Simba went from last-out maiden winner to graded stakes victor with an impressive score in the $100,000 Los Angeles (G3) April 15 at Santa Anita Park.
