In Ballerina, Marley's Freedom caps Grade 1 double for Baffert, Smith

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bob Baffert sent two horses to Saratoga for the Travers card Saturday. He put Mike Smith up on both of them and won back-to-back Grade 1’s as Abel Tasman won the Personal Ensign and Marley’s Freedom took down the Ballerina.

While the Personal Ensign was a nail-biter and Abel Tasman had to withstand a jockey’s objection, Marley’s Freedom was a clear-cut winner of the $700,000 Ballerina, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares.

Baffert shared a joke with his assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes after the Ballerina.

“I told Jimmy we should have brought more,” Baffert said.

Marley’s Freedom, a 4-year-old daughter of Blame, was transferred to Baffert’s stable after winning a second-level optional-claiming race at Santa Anita in April. She has since won the Grade 3 Desert Stormer by 7 1/4 lengths, the Grade 2 Great Lady M by 1 1/2 lengths, and now the Ballerina by 3 1/4 lengths.

“She was in great shape when I got her, so I can’t take a lot of credit for it,” Baffert said. “I just kept her in that form. But the way she won those first two races was pretty impressive. It told me the quality was there.”

Finley’sluckycharm sprinted clear early in the Ballerina and set a slow pace of 23.11 and 45.44 seconds. She was tracked in the second flight by, from the rail out, Ivy Bell, Still There, and Lewis Bay. Marley’s Freedom was a little farther back and outside horses.

Lewis Bay challenged Finley’sluckycharm on the far turn and Marley’s Freedom went outside both of them entering the stretch. She quickly opened up and was not seriously challenged by runner-up Still There, who stumbled at the start and had a tricky trip from between horses.

Lewis Bay finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Still There and a half-length ahead of fourth-place Union Strike, who rallied belatedly.

Ivy Bell finished fifth, a neck behind Union Strike. Finley’sluckycharm tired to seventh.

Marley’s Freedom paid $5.80 as the favorite in the eight-horse field and was timed in 1:21.39, while getting her final furlong in 12.47 seconds.

The Ballerina is a Win and You’re In for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Baffert said he was not sure if Marley’s Freedom would race again before the Breeders’ Cup.

“This was definitely her toughest field,” Baffert said. “I think we found out a lot about her today. She was unbelievable. Usually, she’s farther back, but they were going slow. Mike had her in great position.”

The Personal Ensign capped a big weekend for Baffert, who on Friday was inducted into the Saratoga Walk of Fame at the annual Red Jacket ceremony.