Bayern notches solid workout for Baffert

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bayern, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1, zoomed a half-mile in 46.20 seconds when working at Santa Anita on Friday.

The workout under jockey Martin Garcia was only the second for Bayern since he returned to serious training after a break in November. The time of the exercise caught trainer Bob Baffert by surprise.

“Whoa!” Baffert said after glancing at his stopwatch.

Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bayern won his fourth stakes of 2014 in the $4.6 million Classic, a victory that puts him at the fore of the discussion for Horse of the Year along with Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome, who was third in the Classic.

Baffert wasted no time campaigning on behalf of Bayern on Friday morning.

“He’s the best horse in America,” he said.

Baffert was less definitive regarding Bayern’s comeback race.

The stakes schedule for the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that begins on Friday, Dec. 26, has changed from past years. The Grade 2 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds, traditionally held in the early months of the year, is no longer run. The Strub was held in early February at 1 1/8 miles until last year when the distance was changed to 1 1/16 miles and the race shifted to January.

This year, the primary early-season race for older horses will be the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 7. The race is expected to be California Chrome’s first start of 2015, and could attract Bayern.

Friday at Los Alamitos, California Chrome worked a half-mile in 49 seconds under jockey Victor Espinoza.

“Victor said he had a helluva hold on him,” trainer Art Sherman said. “He looked like he was going in a two-minute lick.”

Sherman said that he timed California Chrome galloping out five furlongs in “1:02 and change.” Sherman said that California Chrome’s workouts will intensify beginning next week.

“Now we can start cranking him up,” he said. “We’ll probably go a little faster for his next work.”

Shared Belief to work Monday

Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, will work at Golden Gate Fields on Monday before being sent to Santa Anita for the $300,000 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26.

Shared Belief will be favored in the Grade 1 Malibu, which is not expected to draw a large field. Baffert trains six of the 22 nominees, but said on Friday he has not finalized which of his horses will start. Indianapolis, who was 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here on Nov. 1, is one of Baffert’s candidates.

The $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Dec. 26 is led by Taris, a nine-length winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 18.