Baffert remains in driver's seat for California 2-year-olds

DEL MAR, Calif. - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s stranglehold on California’s 2-year-old division shows no sign of abating.

A week after he swept the two Grade 2 six-furlong stakes for juveniles at Del Mar – with Desert Gate in the Best Pal Stakes and Himika in the Sorrento Stakes – Baffert won two maiden races at 5 1/2 furlongs for 2-year-olds with the colt Litmus Test on Saturday and Explora on Sunday.

Litmus Test, by Nyquist, won by three-quarters of a length over stablemate Falcon Jet. Litmus Test was ridden by jockey Juan Hernandez, and finished in 1:03.64, good for a 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It was a little short for him, but he got it done,” Baffert said. “That’s a good sign.”

Litmus Test closed from third to lead in early stretch.

“He broke a step slow,” Hernandez said. “He’s a big horse and he made a nice move. He has a big stride and gave me a big gallop out.”

Explora, by Blame, was timed in 1:03.15 and earned a solid 88 Beyer Figure. She dueled for the early lead before pulling clear, winning by 4 3/4 lengths under Hernandez.

“She took me to the front,” Hernandez said. “I thought she was really comfortable. She did everything really easily.”

Litmus Test joins Balboa, Buetane, and Brant as colts that have won maiden races for Baffert at this meeting. Explora won a week after the filly Bottle of Rouge won her debut in a maiden race.

Baffert will have a deep team in the two seven-furlong races for 2-year-olds at the end of the meeting, each worth $300,000 – the Del Mar Debutante for fillies on Sept. 6, and the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7. Baffert has won the Debutante 11 times, and the Del Mar Futurity 18 times.

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