Justify departing, Baffert ready to move on

DEL MAR, Calif. – The mood was of both sadness and anticipation at the Bob Baffert barn Monday morning. Sadness because Triple Crown winner Justify was set to depart in less than 48 hours for WinStar Farm in Kentucky, but anticipation over a bumper crop of 2-year-olds that has debuted with wins this meet, including the filly Chasing Yesterday on Saturday and the colt Roadster on Sunday.

Justify was feted in a retirement ceremony between races Saturday, which Baffert said “was emotional for me.”

“I was fine until he came to the paddock, and he got all pumped up,” Baffert said. “That helped bring back those emotions. I was welling up a bit. He’s so dominant. I’ve never had a horse with so much swagger.”

Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes said, “it was so special what he did,” going from an unstarted maiden to a Triple Crown winner in less than four months.

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Baffert said one of his favorite memories was when Justify came into the paddock for the Belmont Stakes, and “all the other horses started freaking out.”

“It was like nature taking its course,” Baffert said. “He’s such an alpha.”

Baffert is not lacking for star power. Both Chasing Yesterday, a half-sister to American Pharoah, and Roadster were romping winners in their debuts.

“The 2-year-olds we were excited about ran to their works,” Baffert said. “That’s a comforting feeling.”

Chasing Yesterday “has a good mind, was very professional,” Baffert said.

“She had a perfect draw,” Baffert said of her outside post.

Baffert during opening week sent out the filly Mother Mother for a powerful win in her first start. He said she and Chasing Yesterday would not run against each other in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 1.

“I’m going to play it by ear, but I’ll definitely split them up,” Baffert said. “They won’t run together.”

Roadster balked behind the gate while loading Sunday, and Baffert said “he pulled his bit out.”

“They had to put the bridle back on him,” he said.

Roadster broke from the rail, took dirt early, got outside on the turn, and coasted home under Mike Smith.

“He got a lot of schooling out of it, walked off the track without taking a deep breath,” said Baffert, who said Roadster would make his next start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on closing day Sept. 3.

◗ A GoFundMe page has been set up for veteran trainer J. Buenaventura Vargas, who lost equipment and mementos in the San Luis Rey Downs fire on Dec. 7, and recently developed congestive heart failure that necessitated surgery to replace a heart valve and an aorta. The link is www.gofundme.com/horse-trainer039s-race-for-life.