Eclipse champion Corniche moved to Pletcher barn from Baffert

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Corniche, the champion 2-year-old male of 2021, is being moved to trainer Todd Pletcher, his owners announced Monday, saying that the colt is ready to get back to serious training, with a planned return to racing in June. A change was necessary as his previous trainer, Bob Baffert, is suspended through July 2.

Corniche won all three of his starts last year when trained by Baffert. He concluded his campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which secured the Eclipse Award for Corniche. Corniche has been in training recently at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.

“Corniche’s trainer, Bob Baffert, cannot begin training until the first week in July. After a discussion with Bob, we felt that for Corniche to be ready to compete in June it is necessary that we make a trainer change at this time,” Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner, who race as Speedway Stables, said in a joint statement. “To that end, Todd Pletcher will commence training Corniche.

“K.C. and I are most appreciative of Bob’s brilliant handling of Corniche’s 2-year-old campaign and ultimately providing Speedway Stables with its first Breeders Cup winner and Eclipse Award champion.”

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Corniche, a son of Quality Road, was purchased as a 2-year-old in training by Speedway for $1.5 million. He won his debut last summer at Del Mar, then won the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita prior to his Breeders’ Cup victory at Del Mar.

In a telephone interview, Fluor said it was a matter of timing that made the switch necessary.

“We’re been big supporters of Bob. He’s a very dear friend,” Fluor said. “We have to do what’s appropriate for the long-term. Corniche is going to have one more work at WinStar, and then he’s ready to go to the track. He should be ready to race in June, as a prep for the Haskell and then the Travers. Bob can’t train until early July. So it’s appropriate to send him to Todd Pletcher.”

Fluor said he had informed both Baffert and Pletcher of the decision.

Pletcher is currently at Churchill Downs, preparing Charge It, Mo Donegal, and Pioneer of Medina for the Kentucky Derby.