Santa Anita: Baffert has no firm plans for Awesome Baby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Awesome Baby has joined trainer Bob Baffert’s list of hopefuls for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 2, but how she gets to that race remains to be seen, Baffert said.

Awesome Baby remained unbeaten in 2014 with a victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita. She led throughout the Grade 3 race for 3-year-old fillies, winning by 2 3/4 lengths over Artemis.

The victory was Awesome Baby’s first over 1 1/16 miles. She won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs here Jan. 4, her first stakes win.

After Saturday’s race, Baffert said the eight-week break between the Santa Ynez and the Santa Ysabel benefited Awesome Baby, who races for Kaleem Shah.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to give them more time,” he said. “She’s a light-framed filly.”

On Sunday, Baffert said he did not have a next race picked out for Awesome Baby. The next race for the division is the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks over 1 1/16 miles on April 5.

“I don’t know her next start,” Baffert said. “I’ll see how she trains.”

Awesome Baby, by Awesome Again, was purchased for $200,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale. She has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $230,250.

Awesome Baby’s recent starts are a turnaround from her 2013 form. After winning a maiden race impressively at Del Mar in her debut, Awesome Baby was seventh as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last August. She was a well-beaten fifth in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes over 1 1/16 miles here last September, a loss that cast doubt on her ability around two turns.

That was put to rest Saturday. Bigger tests loom.