ARCADIA, Calif. — It’s proving time for 3-year-olds within the barn of coach Bob Baffert.
The following 4 months will weed out the perfect of the bunch because the calendar strikes nearer to Could and the beginning of the Triple Crown sequence.
“See what you might have, see what they love to do,” Baffert stated. “You be taught from the races and hope they keep wholesome. That’s the primary factor.”
Reincarnate put his title on the highest of the heap for now, successful the $100,000 Sham Stakes by a neck for Baffert, who accomplished a 1-2-3 sweep at Santa Anita.
Baffert has gained the Sham in seven of the final 10 years.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Reincarnate ran 1 mile in 1:35.87 below overcast skies.
Despatched off at 16-1 odds within the discipline of 5, Reincarnate paid $35 to win, an unusually excessive worth for a Baffert-trained horse.
Newgate was second, whereas 3-5 favourite Nationwide Treasure was one other three-quarters of a size again in third. Nationwide Treasure was making his first begin since ending third within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in November.
“He by no means may get him in a cushty spot,” Baffert stated of jockey John Velazquez aboard Nationwide Treasure. “We simply started working on him, get him a little bit bit relaxed, chill him out a little bit bit.”
Reincarnate broke sharply and went to the lead, the place he ran for a lot of the race.
“As soon as I noticed that horse turning for residence, he’s a stayer, he doesn’t get drained,” Baffert stated.
“He’s my Belmont horse,” the coach joked, referring to the Triple Crown race’s 1 1/2-mile distance.
Reincarnate dueled with Newgate whereas holding a scant lead by means of the ultimate furlongs earlier than hanging on on the end.
“I noticed myself in entrance, so I simply let him run,” Hernandez stated. “When he obtained the lead, he tried to attend for firm, however when he noticed the opposite horse come to me, he noticed him and fought again.”
Baffert’s different entry, Pace Boat Seashore, was scratched as a result of the coach stated he wasn’t fairly prepared for the race. The colt was the 5-2 co-second selection on the morning line. Baffert stated Pace Boat Seashore would possible be pointed towards the $200,000 San Vicente on Jan. 29.
Packs a Wahlop was fourth and earned two Kentucky Derby qualifying factors. Spun Supposed was pulled up in entrance of the grandstand by jockey Mike Smith and vanned off. Coach Mark Glatt stated the horse was OK.
Baffert’s three entries didn’t earn any Derby qualifying factors as a result of he’s been banned till after this yr’s Derby by Churchill Downs Inc. due to repeated remedy violations.
Earlier Sunday, Ice Dancing gained the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 3 1/4 lengths and earned 20 qualifying factors for the Kentucky Oaks on Could 5.
Baffert’s fillies, Quick and Shiny, Parody and Huntingcoco, completed third, fourth and fifth, respectively. However they have been denied the six, 4 and two Oaks qualifying factors for his or her outcomes due to Baffert’s ban.
His ban at CDI-owned tracks runs from June 2021 till after this yr’s Kentucky Derby.
In December, Baffert’s legal professionals re-filed a lawsuit searching for an injunction towards CDI in an effort to permit him to enter horses within the Kentucky Derby on Could 6. They initially sought an injunction in February 2022, however it was withdrawn when Baffert started serving a 90-day suspension from the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee.
