Kingly gives Baffert rare graded stakes win on turf in La Jolla

DEL MAR, Calif. -- Trainer Bob Baffert was across the country at Saratoga on Sunday night, at a party on the eve of the yearling sales, when his phone rang, seeking reaction soon after Kingly scored a front-running victory in the Grade 3, $151,053 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

Baffert had intended to watch the race, but had gotten called away from the television by a guest. Before he could look back, his phone rang.

“He won?” Baffert said. “I love turf racing. Unbelievable.”

Kingly ($18.60), making his first start on turf, provided Baffert with his first graded stakes victory in a turf race since Nov. 24, 2012, when Den’s Legacy won the Generous at Hollywood Park. Kingly led from start to finish under Mario Gutierrez in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, just lasting over favored Neptune’s Storm to win by a neck.

Jasikan was another 3 1/4 lengths back in third, then came, in order, Rijeka, Gregorian Chant, Stubbins, Golden Birthday, and King of Speed.

Kingly was timed in 1:39.95 on the firm course.

Kingly came into the La Jolla having lost three straight races since taking the California Derby on synthetic at Golden Gate in April. He most recently had finished a distant third behind stablemate Game Winner in the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby.

“I didn’t know what to do with him,” Baffert said.

“I worked him on the grass, without blinkers, and he knocked all the cones down,” he said, referring to a five-furlong work in 1:04 on July 28. “I figured we better put the blinkers back on him. Put him on the lead and don’t look back.”

Gutierrez obliged. Kingly, who had not used blinkers in his last two starts, showed sharp speed away from the gate and set fractions of 22.15 seconds for the quarter and 46.16 seconds for the half while opening a 3 1/2-length lead midway through the race. Neptune’s Storm cut into the margin on the far turn, Kingly kicked away in upper stretch, and then Neptune’s Storm made a second, futile, bid.

Kingly, bred by Clearsky Farm and owned by Clearview Stables, RAC 04 Racing, and Michael Meegan, is a colt by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Justwhistledixie, making him a full brother to Mohaymen and half-brother to New Year’s Day. He has now won three times in eight starts.

--additional reporting by Brad Free