Baze will be Masochistic's jockey in Pat O'Brien Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - Masochistic will have a new, but familiar, jockey when he starts as the likely favorite in the $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar next Saturday.

Tyler Baze has been booked to ride Masochistic in the Grade 2 race at seven furlongs, replacing Mike Smith. Smith is booked to ride the Travers Stakes program at Saratoga that day. Baze is familiar with Masochistic, having ridden the 6-year-old gelding four times in 2015, including to two stakes wins.

Baze was aboard Masochistic on Sunday for a sharp five-furlong workout from the gate. Trainer Ron Ellis timed Masochistic in 58.60 seconds.

“He was just breezing,” Ellis said. “He couldn’t do it any easier.”

Masochistic, who races for Samantha Siegel and Will Shamlian, will face a small field in the Pat O’Brien. Other candidates are Cautious Giant, Indexical, Point Piper, and Vyjack.

Point Piper, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, won the Grade 3 Longacres Mile by 4 3-4 lengths at Emerald Downs on Aug. 14.

The Pat O’Brien is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth for the BC Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, if the winner is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program. Ellis considers the Pat O’Brien a prep for the BC Sprint on Nov. 5 for Masochistic.

Point Piper’s presence in the Pat O’Brien would be an attempt to get a berth in the BC Dirt Mile, according to Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant.

The nominees for the Pat O’Brien do not include Lord Nelson, winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes here July 31. Trainer Bob Baffert said he deliberately left Lord Nelson off the list of nominees.

“I didn’t want to be tempted,” Baffert said.

Lord Nelson will be pointed for the Santa Anita fall meeting, including an intended start in the BC Sprint.