Baffert horses work toward Breeders' Cup juvenile races
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Explora, winner of the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Monday at Santa Anita in advance of a scheduled start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
Explora is likely to be favored in the BC Juvenile Fillies for trainer Bob Baffert, who also plans to start Bottle of Rouge in the 1 1/16-mile race. The winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 6, Bottle of Rouge worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Sunday at Santa Anita, the fastest of 75 recorded works at the distance.
Baffert has won the BC Juvenile Fillies twice, but not since Indian Blessing’s victory at Monmouth Park in 2007.
The Baffert-trained Desert Gate worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Monday for the $2 million BC Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 31. Desert Gate cruised to a win by 8 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 9 at Del Mar, but he’s been second in his last two starts – a one-length defeat by stablemate Brant in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 7 and a loss by three-quarters of a length to Intrepido in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita.
Brant and Intrepido, who is trained by Jeff Mullins, are two well-regarded candidates for the BC Juvenile. The race is led by Ted Noffey, the easy winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at seven furlongs on Sept. 1 at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 4 at Keeneland for trainer Todd Pletcher.