Dabster possible for Marathon on Breeders' Cup card

CYPRESS, Calif. – Dabster, who has won consecutive stakes at Del Mar and Los Alamitos in the last month, is a candidate for the Grade 2 Marathon at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2, trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday.

Dabster won the $75,000 Harry Brubaker Stakes at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 22 and the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/4 miles last Sunday. The $200,000 Marathon is run at 1 3/4 miles on dirt on Breeders’ Cup Friday.

“It sounds like a good idea,” Baffert said.

Purchased for $1 million at sale of a 2-year-olds in training in 2016, Dabster has won 5 of 9 starts and earned $252,425. In the Los Alamitos Special, Dabster stalked the pace to early stretch before pulling clear to win by two lengths as the 8-5 favorite.

The Los Alamitos Special was restricted to horses who had not won a stakes worth $50,000 or more to the winner at a mile or longer.

The Baffert-trained Marley’s Freedom worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Santa Anita on Tuesday in preparation for a fall campaign. She is a leading contender to win the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding female sprinter.

Marley’s Freedom has won her last three starts, including the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos in July and the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 25. Baffert said Marley’s Freedom could run in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 7, but that the main goal is the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.