Charlatan gets 105 Beyer in debut victory

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert was watching the Harlem Globetrotters at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles with his son early Sunday afternoon when his cell phone began buzzing with text messages.

Baffert had planned to attend the basketball game long before he realized the 3-year-old colt Charlatan would make his debut at Santa Anita the same afternoon.

“I knew he was running at 2,” Baffert said. “My phone went off. Everything said ‘wow’ on it. I thought, I hope it’s a good wow.”

It was a very good wow. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Charlatan led throughout a maiden special weight race at six furlongs, winning by 5 3/4 lengths in the fast time of 1:08.85. He earned a massive Beyer Speed Figure of 105, the highest for any runner of the 2017 foal crop.

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By Speightstown, Charlatan is out of Authenticity, a two-time graded stakes winner who earned $883,362. Baffert said Charlatan caught his eye with his workouts from the gate.

“He’s out of a good mare and well bred,” Baffert said. “His gate works were very impressive. When he worked from the pole, he looked good.”

Charlatan has been nominated to the Triple Crown. Baffert did not disclose any race plans for Charlatan on Monday.

“He came out of it good,” he said. “I’d like wait a couple of weeks and work him back.”

Charlatan faces a tough timeline to be ready for the Triple Crown races although there is recent precedent in Baffert's career.

Justify won his debut in a maiden special weight race by 9 1/2 lengths at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Feb. 18, 2018, earning a lofty Beyer Speed Figure of 104. After winning an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at a mile in early March of that year, Justify won the Santa Anita Derby and swept the Triple Crown.

Justify did not race again after his win in the Belmont Stakes.

For Baffert, Justify was his second Triple Crown winner, three years after American Pharoah.

Charlatan ($4.40) was purchased for $700,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale and races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrick III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables.

In a field of four, Charlatan was the second choice behind Lane Way, who was third to the Baffert-trained Nadal in a maiden special weight race on Jan. 19. In Sunday’s race, Lane Way was the 3-5 favorite. He stalked Charlatan to the turn before he was steadied, fading to finish third, 13 lengths behind the winner.

Trainer Richard Mandella said on Monday that Lane Way lost a shoe in the race.

– additional reporting by Brad Free