Fort Bragg lands St. Matthews for connections after Derby scratch

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was the "other" Baffert over the "other" Foley on Thursday evening at Churchill Downs. With neither of their more heralded stablemates, Bob Baffert's Grade 1-winning Speed Boat Beach or Greg Foley's Bango, the all-time winningest horse at Churchill Downs, making an impact on the finish, Fort Bragg ran down Champlin for a 1 1/2-length win in the $200,000 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes for older sprinters.

The win was Baffert's first stakes score at Churchill Downs since the track lifted his suspension stemming from Medina Spirit's medication violation in the 2021 Kentucky Derby - he won a maiden race with Barnes last November - and capped a turbulent afternoon for the trainer. Earlier, the Baffert-trained Rodriguez was withdrawn from Saturday's Derby with a foot bruise. And even as Fort Bragg was making his way out of the winner's circle, Speed Boat Beach was about to get a ride back to the barn in the equine ambulance. Speed Boat Beach, making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Malibu in December 2023, pressed the pace set by Champlin before tiring badly through the stretch. The horse was moving soundly.

"It looks like he bled, so they gave him a ride home," Baffert said.

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But meanwhile, it was a bold effort for Fort Bragg ($14.54), who is owned by the large partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan – many of the same partners as Rodriguez. Baffert will still have Citizen Bull, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and 2-year-old champion, in the Derby, breaking from the rail.

In the St. Matthews, Fort Bragg and Juan Hernandez sat an untroubled third as Champlin fired out of the gate and claimed the rail, forcing favored Speed Boat Beach to chase outside of him through a brutal opening quarter of 21.10 seconds. Champlin still led by a length through the half in 43.67 as Speed Boat Beach began to fade, but Fort Bragg was looming just behind. With a sustained run through the stretch, he wore down Champlin toward the wire and surged clear in the final yards.

This was the first stakes score for Fort Bragg since taking the Grade 3 Dwyer in July 2023. Baffert said the horse has “matured a lot” as an older runner, and was keen to add the horse to his stable at Churchill for this week, given a past affinity for the track. Fort Bragg had finished second by a neck in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile in spring 2023, while under the care of Tim Yakteen.

"We gave him a lot of time and brought him back, and I thought he would like this," Baffert said. "He likes this track. I figured it would be a good place to bring him back. And it's good for this group [after having to take Rodriguez out]."

The time for the six furlongs on the track rated fast – only brief showers had materialized through the day after a threat of storms – was 1:08.04.

After Champlin in second, it was 2 1/4 lengths to Happy Is a Choice in third. He was followed, in order, by Red Flag, Valentine Candy, Miles Ahead, Henro, Bango, Happy American, and Speed Boat Beach. Bango, making his 8-year-old debut, was seeking a record-extending 13th career win at Churchill Downs.

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