Cave Rock galloping, could return to racing in coming months
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Cave Rock, unraced since a second-place finish to Forte in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in November, is currently galloping at Del Mar for a return to racing in coming months.
“He should be breezing in the next few weeks,” trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Cave Rock has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $748,000. Last summer, Cave Rock won his debut against maidens and the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs at the Del Mar summer meeting.
Cave Rock won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in early October before losing the BC Juvenile by 1 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite.
Forte was named the champion 2-year-old male of 2022.
Cave Rock had six workouts at Santa Anita from mid-February to early April, but did not race in the spring.
While Cave Rock is approaching a breeze, Taiba, a multiple stakes winner for Baffert, is currently jogging at Los Alamitos, where Baffert keeps a stable.
A three-time Grade 1 winner as a 3-year-old in 2022, Taiba has not raced since he finished eighth in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February. Taiba was an intended starter in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at a mile at Belmont Park on June 10 until Baffert abandoned the plan a week before the race.
Taiba has not worked since.
“I hit the pause button on him,” Baffert said on Sunday.
The stable has an exciting 2-year-old filly in Dua, who won her debut in a five-furlong maiden race at Del Mar on Saturday. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Dua ($3.40) disputed the lead throughout and won by a half-length over Hope Road and Ur in Trouble, who finished in a dead heat for second.
“It was a little too short for her,” Baffert said. “He was asking her from the get-go. He said when she made the lead, she hit the brakes and kicked back in again.”
Dua is scheduled to have her stakes debut in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 12.
Baffert said the Sorrento distance will be a better fit for Dua, an Arrogate who races for Amr Zedan and was purchased for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July yearling sale in 2022.
“She can sit and come running,” he said.
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