Stewards request Baffert runners physically move to Yakteen's barn

ARCADIA, Calif. – Track stewards met Sunday with trainer Tim Yakteen and asked that eight horses previously trained by Bob Baffert, now trained by Yakteen, be moved from their location near the Baffert stable to the Yakteen stable at the other end of the Santa Anita barn area.

Yakteen won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday with Practical Move, a colt he has trained throughout his career. Eight other 3-year-olds recently were “transferred” from Baffert to Yakteen including four entered in the San Felipe and Arabian Knight, still considered one of the top 3-year-old prospects in California.

All of the horses were transferred to Yakteen's barn so that they were eligible to earn points for the May 6 Kentucky Derby. Any horses trained by Baffert, who is banned from running a Churchill until after this year's Derby, were ineligible to earn Derby points if they were in Baffert's name after Feb. 28.

Yakteen told Daily Racing Form on Feb. 27 the former Baffert trainees had been relocated to Yakteen’s stable. In addition to Arabian Knight, those included San Felipe entrants Hejazi, Fort Bragg, Mr Fisk, and National Treasure, who scratched with a foot issue. It turns out, the horses had been moved to another part of the barn where Baffert runners are stabled, and changed stall-webbing identification from Baffert to Yakteen.

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The Blood-Horse reported on March 4 the Baffert-to-Yakteen transfers entered in the San Felipe “remained in the one of the barns containing Baffert horses because there was no immediate room in the Yakteen stable.”

Since then, room has become available. Stewards met Sunday with Yakteen and asked that the horses be moved to the Yakteen stable on far west side of the Santa Anita barn area. Baffert’s stable is located on the far east side.

“It’s transparency,” steward Kim Sawyer said. “We told [Yakteen] we wanted the horses moved. Tim asked if he could have a bit of time.”

Stall space near the Yakteen stable became available when Graham Motion runners shipped out. Stewards said Yakteen indicated on Sunday the horses would move in the next two days, by Monday. “[Yakteen] said he would get back to us,” Sawyer said.

Yakteen said late Sunday afternoon, “No decisions have been made. Let’s wait until we make a decision. I don’t want to talk about that right now.”

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