Baffert has big weekend with Classier, Gamine but Derby storm won't subside

CYPRESS, Calif. - The Fourth of July weekend served as a successful retreat to Los Alamitos for Bob Baffert, his first home base in California when he was a thriving Quarter Horse trainer in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Sunday, the promising 3-year-old Classier won the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby by a nose over stablemate Defunded, the fifth consecutive year Baffert has won the track’s main race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. Monday, Gamine, the champion female sprinter of 2020, remained unbeaten in three starts this year with a 10-length win in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Baffert keeps a string of horses at Los Alamitos, but his main stable is at Santa Anita or Del Mar, depending on the time of year.

After Classier’s win, Baffert spoke briefly with track owner Ed Allred in the winner’s circle.

“This place means a lot to me,” Baffert said a few minutes later, with emotion in his voice. “Doc Allred said I’ve always got a home here, so I’m good there.”

The stakes wins were the easy part of the early summer for Baffert, who made international news in recent months after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for the banned medication betamethasone. Baffert has argued the medication was an ingredient in an ointment used for the colt’s skin condition.

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The positive test is the subject of lawsuits regarding testing procedures, and has resulted in Baffert being banned from running horses at tracks owned by Churchill Downs Inc. - including in the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies - or at the New York Racing Association tracks Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga. Baffert has challenged the New York decision in court.

The absence of racing privileges in New York has already affected Baffert. Du Jour, a 3-year-old colt who won the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1, was transferred from Baffert to Bill Mott in New York in advance of Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby. Du Jour is co-owned by Baffert’s wife, Jill.

Also in recent weeks, WinStar Farm announced that two of Baffert’s stakes winners from earlier this year – the 3-year-old colt Life Is Good and 4-year-old colt Country Grammer will be trained by New York-based Todd Pletcher.

A small group of unraced 2-year-olds owned by Spendthrift Farm were transferred from Baffert to Richard Mandella at Santa Anita earlier this spring following the announcement of Medina Spirit’s positive test.

Following Sea, a 3-year-old colt owned by Spendthrift, was transferred from Baffert to Pletcher and won his debut for Pletcher in an allowance race at Belmont Park on June 3. He is a candidate for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 17.

The policies enacted by NYRA may affect how Baffert campaigns Classier and Gamine the rest of the summer. In the last five years, Baffert has won at least one Grade 1 race annually at Saratoga. In 2017, he won three Grade 1’s there.

Baffert has won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga three times, most recently with West Coast, winner of the 2017 Los Alamitos Derby. Classier would seem to be a candidate for the Travers, but a change in the NYRA policy, or an unlikely transfer to another stable would be needed for that to occur.

Another option for Classier is a start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar against older horses at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 21. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6. Baffert remains in good standing at Del Mar, as well as Santa Anita.

“We’ll have to figure something out,” Baffert said regarding Classier’s schedule after the colt’s win.

“I really think he’s going to improve off this. Now I can take my time and figure out a spot. He’s bred to be a superstar.”

Classier won his first stakes in his fourth start in the 1 1/8-mile Los Alamitos Derby, leading throughout. Defunded offered a sustained threat in the long stretch, but could not pass Classier, who was ridden by Mike Smith.

“He’s still learning and he’ll get stronger and better,” Smith said. “There’s a lot to him.”

Classier, a colt by Empire Maker, races for the partnership SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm, and Robert Masterson.

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In the past, a filly such as Gamine would be an ideal contender for the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 28. Instead, Gamine may remain at Del Mar where the main race for sprint females is the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 20. Considering Gamine’s brilliance in sprints, a start against males in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 28 would not be the most outlandish idea.

Baffert offered no clues in the minutes after Gamine’s win on Monday.

“I want to see how she comes out of this,” he said. “I’ll let her tell me.”

Baffert has several other notable stakes horses bound for Del Mar, including the 4-year-old filly As Time Goes By for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 1, and the 3-year-old turf colt Hudson Ridge, who won the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in May and is a candidate for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4.

The stable also has its annual group of 2-year-olds that will attract ample attention in maiden races.

Over the weekend, Baffert was far less talkative about the status of Medina Spirit, who has not raced since a third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes on May 15 and was transferred from Baffert’s division at Santa Anita to Los Alamitos in late June, according to a source.

Medina Spirit has had one workout since the Preakness, going three furlongs in 37.60 seconds at Santa Anita on June 14.

“Nothing. No news,” Baffert said, walking out of the winner’s circle.