Baffert loaded with stakes-quality juvenile males

DEL MAR, Calif. – The victory by Pinehurst in the Del Mar Futurity on Monday, the belief that Murray is far better than he showed in that race, and the emergence of runaway maiden winner Corniche on Saturday gives trainer Bob Baffert a number of top 2-year-old male prospects heading into the fall.

Trying to get those horses – and perhaps talented maidens like Enbarr and Rhetoric – to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 5 at Del Mar will require Baffert to look beyond the obvious California-based prep, the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah, on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

“They’ll be nominated everywhere,” Baffert said Tuesday. “It’s a good problem to have.”

Pinehurst got a Beyer Speed Figure of 79 for his front-running victory in the Del Mar Futurity, Baffert’s record 15th in that race. He said both Pinehurst and Murray, who was a dull fifth of six as the odds-on favorite, came out of the race well.

“Murray was flat yesterday,” Baffert said. “In the paddock he was a little quiet. He looks good today. There’s nothing wrong with him. They’ll do that sometimes.”

Pinehurst, by Twirling Candy, has won both his starts. Murray, like Pinehurst, had won his debut prior to the Futurity.

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Corniche, a $1.5 million 2-year-old buy, ran as advertised on Saturday. The son of Quality Road earned a Beyer figure of 98 for his debut win.

Rhetoric, also by Quality Road, worked four furlongs in 49.40 seconds on Monday at Del Mar. He was a troubled second in his debut last month.

All of Baffert’s horses will relocate to Santa Anita by the end of the week and train there for their next starts. Del Mar’s backside must be vacated by week’s end. It will reopen less than two weeks prior to the Breeders’ Cup.