Another honor – and maybe a stakes win – for Baffert

DEL MAR, Calif. – The honors continue to roll in for trainer Bob Baffert, who on Saturday night will be recognized by his alma mater, the University of Arizona, at halftime of its home football game against highly ranked Utah.

“It’s really cool,” said Baffert, who won the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic this year with American Pharoah. “My whole family is going.”

Baffert has long ties to the school and the area. He grew up 70 miles from Tucson in Nogales, Ariz., and still has family in the Tucson area, including his brother, Bill.

Baffert will have assistant Jim Barnes deputize for him at Del Mar over the weekend. Baffert is expected to have significant chances in both weekend stakes here, both for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs.

On Saturday, Baffert likely will have Dr. Dorr and Toews On Ice in the Grade 3, $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes, a race that also is expected to include both I’malreadythere and Jury for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer as well as Mac Daddy Mac, On Fire, and Street Vision. Toews On Ice will be going for his third straight win, having captured the Barretts Juvenile at Los Alamitos and the Speakeasy at Santa Anita in his last two starts.

Baffert said multiple stakes winner Pretty N Cool was a possibility for Sunday’s $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for fillies, but he definitely plans on running Treasuring, a romping maiden winner at Los Alamitos in her most recent start. Others likely for the Arnaz include Lucky Folie, Patriotic Diamond, Room on the Broom, Street Fancy, Surfside Tiara, and Sutton’s Smile.