Baaeed better than ever winning Group 1 Lockinge in season opener

Bigger, stronger, faster – that was how Baaeed looked winning his 4-year-old debut Saturday in the Group 1 J.T. Lockinge Stakes at Newbury Racecourse in England.

Baaeed came into the Lockinge 6 for 6 in his career and no luck was required in victory No. 7. Baaeed broke alertly under regular rider Jim Crowley and tracked Chindit, who led a pack of runners racing toward the outer rail as the field divided into two groups early in this straight-course mile.

Baaeed traveled smoothly, easily holding his position, and when New Mandate swung outside him with about 2 1/2 furlongs to race, Crowley allowed Baaeed to creep forward. With about a furlong left to race Baaeed had made the lead without being asked, and when Crowley moved his hands in mild encouragement, Baaeed took off.

He quickly opened several lengths on the field, got one right-hander from Crowley’s crop, and hit the wire 3 1/4 lengths in front of second-place Real World, a talented Godolphin colt had won all five of his turf races before Saturday’s.

“That was just like a piece of work to him,” Crowley said. “He’s everything you want in a racehorse.”

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Baaeed, the odds-on favorite, was timed in a quick 1:35.19 and paid $2.60 on the North American tote. Real World was 1 3/4 lengths better than third-place Chindit.

Baaeed didn’t start his career until last summer and emerged from relative obscurity to end the 2022 flat-racing season as Europe’s leading miler. Baaeed’s first Group 1 success came in France, where he captured the Prix du Moulin, and he capped his campaign with a strong score over top-rated miler Palace Pier in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Now it’s back to Ascot for Baaeed’s next race, the Queen Anne Stakes, first race of the Royal Ascot meeting in mid-June.

William Haggas trains Baeed for his breeder, Shadwell Estate Company. Baaeed is by Sea the Stars out of Aghareed, by Kingmambo. The pedigree and the way Baaeed relaxes during his races suggest he can go farther than a mile, and Crowley indicated that could happen in the 1 1/4-mile Juddmonte International this summer.

Not that there is anything wrong with Baeed’s mile form. He has won races where he was held up and unleashed a furious burst of late speed, but Baaeed now travels professionally into his business, waiting his rider’s cue and always on the bridle.

Baaeed could easily be Europe’s best miler since the mighty Frankel, who won the Lockinge in 2012. The colt was excellent at age 3 and on Saturday looked like an even better version of himself – bigger, stronger, faster.