Muth possible for Travers; Parenting more likely for Pacific Classic
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert hasn’t ruled out shipping Muth to Saratoga for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes.
Baffert said he planned to nominate both Muth and Parenting to the Travers, but indicated Wednesday that he’d be more inclined to keep Parenting home in California for the Pacific Classic on Aug. 31. Muth hasn’t run since winning the Arkansas Derby on March 30. He was entered in but scratched from the Preakness on May 17 due to a fever. Muth has been working steadily since mid-June.
“Parenting has never shipped. I don’t know how he would handle it; he’s still young and immature,” Baffert said Wednesday. “If we were [deciding] today, he’d more Pacific Classic. And Muth, he could up show up at the Travers.”
Baffert said his decision would be based on how well Muth works over the next few weeks. If he didn’t feel comfortable running 1 1/4 miles off the layoff, then the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby going 1 1/8 miles at Parx on Sept. 21 is another possibility.
National Treasure, the morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes, will be Baffert’s first starter of this summer’s Saratoga meet. He also plans to run Prince of Monaco, the Woody Stephens runner-up, in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Aug. 24, and Wynstock in the $250,000 Albany Stakes for New York-breds on Aug. 25.
Wynstock won the Los Alamitos Derby in his most recent start. Last year, he won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.
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