Country Grammer possible for San Diego Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. - Country Grammer, winner of the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March, has returned to California for a summertime comeback.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Country Grammer worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds, his first major exercise since the 5-year-old was sent to the West Coast after an early spring rest in Kentucky.

Country Grammer, owned by Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, Winstar Farm and Amr Zedan, is under the care of trainer Sean McCarthy, but will be switched in early July to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, McCarthy said.

Baffert is serving the final weeks of a 90-day suspension for a medication violation found in a post-race test taken after Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Baffert’s suspension began days after Country Grammer won the Dubai World Cup.

McCarthy has trained a majority of the horses previously in Baffert’s care during the suspension.

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The Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 3 has been mentioned as a long-range goal for Country Grammer by Elliott Walden of Winstar Farm. The Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on July 30 is Del Mar’s leading prep for the $1 million Pacific Classic, and could be Country Grammer’s first start in the United States this year, McCarthy said.

“To get a race into him would probably be an ideal plan,” McCarthy said.

Country Grammer has not raced in the United States since a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May 2021. Earlier this year, Country Grammer was second in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in his first start of the season.

McCarthy has won three stakes at Santa Anita this month with runners previously trained by Baffert. On Saturday, the McCarthy-trained Private Mission won her first stakes since October in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Private Mission, 4, finished 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar last November after setting a fast pace. The same race at Keeneland on Nov. 5 is a long-range goal.

Private Mission, who races for Susan and Charles Chu, could start in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 6. The winner of the $400,000 Hirsch Stakes, run for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Distaff.

The former Baffert-trained Taiba is with his third trainer this year. Taiba was switched from Baffert to Tim Yakteen when Baffert’s suspension began. Days later, Taiba won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in his stakes debut. Taiba was later 12th as the 5-1 second choice in a field of 20 in the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

Taiba recently joined McCarthy’s stable and had his fourth workout of June on Sunday, going five furlongs in 59.60 seconds. McCarthy did not mention a race goal for Taiba.

Yakteen trains Messier, who finished 15th as the 7-1 fourth choice in the Kentucky Derby. Messier worked what Yakteen called a "dynamite" a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Saturday.

Yakteen said Messier is a candidate for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 23.

Baffert’s suspension ends on July 3, and the stable could have Armagnac in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby on July 9. Currently trained by Yakteen, Armagnac was seventh of nine in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 21. On Saturday at Santa Anita, Armagnac worked five furlongs in 1:00.20.

Ce Ce nears start

Ce Ce, the champion female sprinter of 2021, will have her first start since April in a Grade 2 stakes on Fourth of July weekend.

Trainer Michael McCarthy said Sunday that he is undecided between the $250,000 Princess Rooney Stakes at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park on July 2 or the $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 4 for the 6-year-old Ce Ce.

The Great Lady M. Stakes is the richest stakes of the three-week Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Los Alamitos that begins Saturday.

Ce Ce, owned and bred by Bo Hirsch, has not raced since a third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on April 23. Last November, Ce Ce won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar to clinch her championship.