Bayern looks to turn back the calendar

DEL MAR, Calif. – The winner of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic has yet to beat a horse in two starts this year.

Bayern, who was front and center for Eclipse Award consideration as 2014 Horse of the Year and 3-year-old champion male last winter, has become a forgotten participant in the older horse division this summer. When he makes his third start of 2015 in Saturday’s $200,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, his owner, Kaleem Shah, and trainer, Bob Baffert, hope that Bayern can reverse a season of poor results.

“This year has been a mystery to me,” Shah said last weekend. “I’m in a state of shock about how things have come about.”

Between minor injuries and losses in major stakes at Churchill Downs and Belmont Park, nothing has gone Bayern’s way this year. Bayern missed a start in the $500,900 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita in early February because of a minor foot injury. Without him, the race became a showdown between Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, and California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male, with Shared Belief prevailing.

The foot issue kept Bayern out of the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 28, another disappointment for Shah.

“He missed a lot of time earlier this year,” Shah said.

Understandably, there were high hopes when Bayern made his 2015 debut in the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 2. Bayern was the 4-5 favorite in the seven-furlong race but was out of contention in early stretch and beaten 11 3/4 lengths by winner Private Zone.

“He didn’t get away well,” Baffert said. “He got outfooted early and lost interest.”

By late May, Bayern was showing enthusiasm in workouts at Churchill Downs, so Baffert started him in the $1.25 million Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park on June 6, Belmont Stakes Day. After stumbling at the start, Bayern ran near the front early and faded badly. He finished 28 1/2 lengths behind winner Honor Code.

Last year at this time, Bayern’s career took off. He won the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and rebounded from a 10th-place finish in the Travers Stakes to win the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing.

Then came the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita last November. Bayern bumped with race favorite Shared Belief at the start, leaving that runner in a compromised position. Bayern set the pace and held off a late run from the English import Toast of New York to win by a nose, with California Chrome and Shared Belief third and fourth.

The stewards reviewed the bumping incident and made no change in the order of finish, a decision that stirred controversy. More than eight months later, Shah said the circumstances of the win have not diminished the accomplishment.

“Everyone has their opinion and is entitled to it,” he said. “I’ve watched the race a few thousand times. [Bayern] was the fastest that day. It was a magical moment when he hit the finish line. Those are memories of a lifetime.”

This year, there have been no such memories with Bayern, though Dortmund, also owned by Shah, won the Santa Anita Derby and was third in the Kentucky Derby. Dortmund has returned to training for a late-summer and autumn campaign. Shah’s star 3-year-old filly is the sprinter Fantastic Style, the winner of the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos earlier this month.

A productive race Saturday would put Bayern under consideration for the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 22 and possibly for a start in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Baffert said the two turns of the San Diego and the race’s distance of 1 1/16 miles might help Bayern. The colt’s form has been a puzzle in a year when the stable has soared to unprecedented heights with Triple Crown star American Pharoah.

“I think he’ll be more effective going long,” Baffert said. “Those last two outs, I was shocked by how poorly how he ran.”

Saturday’s race provides a chance to be surprised in a much better way.