Bayern will start in Travers Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bayern, the dominant winner of the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational in his last start, will make his next start on Aug. 23 in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Thursday.
Baffert announced his decision after watching Bayern work a half-mile in 48.60 seconds over Del Mar’s synthetic surface.
“I love the way he went,” Baffert said by phone from Southern California. “He came out of that race really, really well. He looks sharp. He looks like he’s holding his weight.”
In the spring, Baffert had viewed Bayern as a sprinter type, thinking if he ran the horse at Saratoga, it would be in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop, a seven-furlong race on the Travers undercard. But after a dominant victory on June 7 in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens at Belmont and an emphatic 7 1/4-length score in the Haskell going 1 1/8 miles on July 27 at Monmouth, Baffert has changed his point of view.
“He’s matured and filled out,” Baffert said. “He was just a baby. He’s finally caught up.”
Baffert said Martin Garcia, aboard for the Haskell victory, will come in to ride Bayern in the Travers. The horse will do all of his serious training at Del Mar before shipping here the Wednesday before the Travers.
Bayern likely would be the favorite for the Travers against a field that includes the Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, the Jim Dandy winner Wicked Strong, the Dwyer winner Kid Cruz, the Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve, and the Curlin Stakes 1-2 finishers V.E. Day and Charge Now, as well as possibly Ulanbator and Viva Majorca.
Baffert also said Fiftyshadesofhay, the winner of the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont in May, will return to New York for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 22. Fiftyshadesofhay finished second in the Grade 1 Alabama here last summer.
“She likes New York,” Baffert said. “She looks like a New Yorker.”
Baffert said John Velazquez will ride Fiftyshadesofhay.
Baffert also said he is considering Fed Biz and/or Declassify for the Grade 1 Forego here on Aug. 30.