Parenting will make graded stakes debut in Haskell, Baffert says

CYPRESS, Calif. - Parenting, the runaway winner of the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 9, will have his first start in a graded stakes in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park on July 20, trainer Bob Baffert said on Saturday.

Baffert said Parenting will take the place of Muth, who has not raced since a win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on March 30. Muth was scratched in the days prior to the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18 because of illness.

Baffert said on Saturday that he does not have any race plans for Muth, who has worked twice in the last month – a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on June 10 and five furlongs in 1:02.40 on June 27.

The $1 million Haskell is run at 1 1/8 miles and is one of the premier summertime races for 3-year-olds.

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Parenting, a colt by Justify who was purchased for $750,000 as a 2-year-old in-training, is unbeaten in two starts, including a maiden-race win at 5 1/2 furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita on April 27. In the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed, Parenting was always near the front before pulling clear to win by 7 1/2 lengths.

Owned by Gandharvi LLC, Parenting worked seven furlongs in 1:28 at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Wynstock may try turf again

Baffert won the $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby for the eighth consecutive year on Saturday with Wynstock, who ended a three-race losing streak since the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December.

In the winner’s circle, Baffert said he will consider a start on turf at Del Mar for Wynstock, who races for Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred and former Los Alamitos track executive Jack Liebau.

With the win on Saturday, Wynstock is no longer eligible for the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 20, the opening day of the track’s summer meeting.

Other options in stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Del Mar this summer are the $100,000 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 4, or the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, a $300,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on Sept.1.

“I’d like to work him on the grass,” Baffert said.

Wynstock, who has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $243,740, finished last of six in the Desert Code Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on May 19 in his start prior to the Los Alamitos Derby.

Baffert said on Saturday that the sprint distance of the Desert Code was too short to gain an understanding of whether Wynstock can be effective on turf.

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