Former Baffert stars debut for new trainers in Amsterdam
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert’s forced absence from Saratoga this summer will be felt Sunday when two of his former charges – Corniche and Pinehurst – go out for different trainers in the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga.
Corniche went 3 for 3 for Baffert last year, topped by a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, and he was crowned 2-year-old male champion colt. Pinehurst won his first two starts – including the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity – before finishing fifth behind Corniche in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Following the Breeders’ Cup, Corniche was sent to Kentucky for a break and, according to Marette Farrell, the bloodstock adviser for owners Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner, who race under Speedway Stables, the colt just didn’t do well over the winter.
“He never put on weight and his coat stayed dry,” Farrell said.
When the decision was made to not press on to the Kentucky Derby, Corniche was given ample time off to come around. When he did, it was decided the horse would be transferred to Todd Pletcher in New York, as Baffert was facing a suspension from the New York Racing Association for a number of medication violations incurred in other jurisdictions. Ultimately, Baffert was banned from participating at NYRA tracks until Jan. 26, 2023.
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Meanwhile Corniche has been with Pletcher since mid-May. He shows seven works for Pletcher, including a solid half-mile in 48.03 seconds last Sunday over Saratoga’s main track.
“All you can do is hope he runs as well for you as he did for Bob,” Pletcher said Friday. “Bob’s obviously a tremendous trainer, a hard one to think you’re going to improve on. Watching the horse train on now and watching videos of his previous works I think he’s training consistently with the way he did back then. But there’s no soft spots to land coming back. This seemed like it was our best option and time to give it a try.”
Luis Saez rides Corniche from post 7 in the nine-horse field.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which Corniche won by 1 3/4 lengths, has not borne out to be a strong race. Horses who finished behind Corniche that day are a combined 4 for 33 since the Juvenile.
Pinehurst is the only 2021 Juvenile alum to have won a stakes, having done so in the Grade 3 Saudi Derby in February. He then ran in the UAE Derby and finished last of 16.
Pinehurst shows a bullet-laden work tab at Santa Anita before his owners, SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, opted to send the horse to John Terranova in New York. Pinehurst had a solid workout over Saratoga’s main track under jockey Flavien Prat last Sunday. He drew the rail for the Amsterdam.
“He’s tuned in, looks real sharp, he’s ready as can be it looks like to me,” Terranova said. “He gives everybody a good feel here and settled in great. His work was good, hopefully he shows up. The only thing is you could ask for a better draw, but what can you do?”
Prat rides Pinehurst from the rail.
Gunite won the Grade 1 Hopeful here last summer for Steve Asmussen. He was put away for the year after finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Champagne. He ran arguably his fastest race when second to Conagher in a Churchill Downs allowance before wining the Maxfield over fellow Amsterdam entrants My Prankster and Hoist the Gold.
“Numbers-wise his first race back in the allowance was his fastest race, and ran him back in the Maxfield and getting him back to the winner’s circle was excellent,” Asmussen said. “Now, we’re looking at third race off a layoff that I feel is ideal for me on a racetrack that he has his biggest win on.
“Meeting the undefeated 2-year-old champion, that’s not exactly expected in the Amsterdam, but Gunite is a very talented one-turn 3-year-old.”
Pappacap has dropped eight straight races, but he has finished second to Jack Christopher in both the Pat Day Mile and Grade 1 Woody Stephens.
Accretive is coming off a 5 3/4-length debut win June 26 in his only start. Trainer Chad Brown said he is only 50-50 to run Sunday.
Runninsonofagun and Surfer Dude complete the field.