Baffert pulls Medina Spirit out of Pennsylvania Derby, Private Mission from Cotillion
Medina Spirit, the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, will not run in that race, trainer Bob Baffert told the track’s notes team Tuesday morning.
Baffert said he didn’t like the way the race could potentially set up for his front-running winner of the Kentucky Derby after Medina Spirit drew post 9, just outside other speed horses Hot Rod Charlie (post 7) and Midnight Bourbon (post 8).
Baffert also said he would scratch Private Mission, a 9-2 shot, from the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies.
“I just feel I don’t want to put them on a plane unless I feel real good about them,” Baffert said. “Medina looks good, he is training well, I didn’t like that draw. There is too much speed. It’s a tough race. I have a lot of respect for those other two horses. There is not much separating them, but I would be at a disadvantage. That’s why I’m passing.”
Baffert said Medina Spirit would point to the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again for 3-year-olds and up on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita. The Awesome Again is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Classic to be held Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
“If he runs well, we will run him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Baffert said.
Private Mission will point to the Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita.
Baffert returned to Santa Anita from Keeneland on Monday and was going to watch Medina Spirit train Tuesday morning before putting him and Private Mission on a Federal Express flight to the East Coast later that day.
The scratch of Medina Spirit will likely make Hot Rod Charlie the strong favorite in the Pennsylvania Derby. Hot Rod Charlie, who trained at Parx on Tuesday, finished third in the Kentucky Derby, one length behind Medina Spirit. Since then, Hot Rod Charlie finished second to Essential Quality in the Belmont Stakes and was disqualified from first in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth after he was deemed to have interfered with Midnight Bourbon, causing that one to clip heels, stumble and unseat jockey Paco Lopez.