Parenting has no trouble with Affirmed Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Parenting is growing up very quickly this spring.

The colt won his debut in a maiden race for sprinters by 2 3/4 lengths on April 26, and handled the transition to a two-turn race, and a stakes, without difficulty in Sunday’s $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Parenting raced near the front throughout and pulled clear to beat four rivals by 7 1/2 lengths.

Sent off favored, Parenting ($3.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.57 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

“He showed up out of the gate,” Hernandez said. “He wanted to win the race in the first jump. Then, he relaxed really well.”

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Parenting, owned by Gandharvi LLC and trained by Bob Baffert, led through an opening quarter-mile in 23.46 seconds, and trailed Scatify by a half-length after a half-mile in 46.90.

Parenting was back in front on the turn for good, and led by 3 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.

Scatify (7-1) finished second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of 9-1 Cornell, also trained by Baffert. Mc Vay, the stylish winner of a one-mile maiden race by seven lengths on May 18, finished fourth as the 8-5 second choice, followed by Miracle Mark.

Mc Vay raced wide on the backstretch while tracking the pace, but posed no threat in the stretch.

“The horse didn’t grab the bit,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He didn’t pick it up on the backside. He didn’t make that big move.”

Parenting, by Justify, was purchased for $750,000 at a 2-year-olds in-training sale in April 2023. He has earned $92,400 from his two wins.

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