Bayern will get one more workout before shipping for Travers
DEL MAR, Calif. – Bayern, the winner of the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth and a leading candidate for the Travers Stakes next Saturday at Saratoga, will have one more workout next week at Del Mar before traveling, according to trainer Bob Baffert.
Baffert on Friday said Bayern worked five furlongs, and went out six furlongs, on Thursday, though Bayern did not make the official work tab. Baffert said he had Bayern going out six furlongs in “1:11 and change.”
Head clocker John Malone on Friday said a simple clerical error was the reason Bayern was not on the tab after training Thursday. “We clocked him. He’s in the system now,” said Malone, who said Bayern’s official time was 1:12.60 for six furlongs.
Baffert said top private clocker Gary Young had Bayern going five furlongs in 58.80 seconds.
“One more work, then we go,” Baffert said Friday.
Goldencents to remain at Del Mar
Goldencents had been considered for the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 30, but trainer Doug O’Neill on Friday said he would remain at Del Mar for the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien, part of the Pacific Classic card Aug. 24.
Goldencents was second to Fed Biz in last year’s O’Brien. Fed Biz is likely to go to the seven-furlong Forego, though he is still under consideration for the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic.
O’Neill said Private Zone could be his representative in the Forego. Private Zone, nearing a return, has not raced since finishing second in last year’s Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.
Eurton mystified by DQ
Count Peter Eurton, the trainer of Nicegirlsfnishlast, among those perplexed by his filly’s disqualification from second to fourth in Thursday’s sixth race.
In a unanimous decision, stewards Luis Jauregui, Kim Sawyer, and Vic Stauffer opined that Nicegirlsfnishlast interfered with Freethinker, the original fourth-place finisher, in the stretch run, costing her a possible better placing.
After the disqualification, William Antongeorgi, who rode Nicegirlsfnishlast, took to his Twitter account and posted, “Wow, can’t believe that call!”
“My jock walked off with me, said the stewards hadn’t talked to him because it didn’t involve him,” Eurton said Friday. “We were totally surprised when they announced it.”