Returning champion Gamine and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Medina Spirit are among the eight horses Bob Baffert, the all-time leading Breeders’ Cup money earner, will saddle in this year’s Nov. 5-6 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.
Baffert will have three shots in Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). The trio will have to do their best running from the outside in 1 1/16-mile contest that drew 12 2-year-olds.
Barossa (post 8), Pinehurst (post 9), and Corniche (post 12), have all shown speed in their previous races, making for the potential for early race dynamics. Barossa is coming off a one-mile maiden win three weeks ago. The son of Into Mischief is owned in part by SF Racing, who also is in partnership on Pinehurst.
Pinehurst is undefeated in two starts, including a 4 ½-length win in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). John Velazquez will be riding the bay colt for the first time, replacing Mike Smith, who chose to stay aboard Corniche.
Corniche is also undefeated in two outings, topped by the American Pharoah S. (G1) on Oct. 1. Owned by Speedway Stables, the son of Quality Road sold for $1.5 million to his owner at this year’s OBS 2-year-olds in Training sale. Corniche’s dam Wasted Tears six graded stakes and nearly $1 million in her career.
The Juvenile is race 9 on Friday, with a post time of 7:50 pm ET.
Baffert saddles his first entrant Saturday with Gamine in the Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Gamine, who is undefeated in four starts this year, won last year’s Sprint by a half-dozen lengths to wrap her Eclipse Award-winning season. Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, she has earned $1,681,500.
Gamine drew post five in the six-horse field and is the prohibitive favorite to repeat her 2021 score. She will be ridden by John Velazquez, who has been aboard her for all of her seven graded stakes wins.
The Filly and Mare Sprint is race 4 at 3:05 pm ET.
In the Dirt Mile (G1), race 6 at 4:19 pm, Baffert will saddle Eight Rings, who drew the outside post in the field of eight. Winner of the American Pharoah S. (G1) at two, the now 4-year-old was beaten just a neck in this year’s Bing Crosby S. (G1) at Del Mar. Eight Rings is owned by a partnership led by Coolmore Stud.
Baffert has Private Mission in post 1 and As Time Goes By in post 9 for the Distaff (G1), arguably the most competitive race on Saturday’s card, race 10 at 7 pm ET.
Private Mission, who is undefeated this year, beat older horses in last month’s Zenyatta S. (G2) and has won four of five overall while earning $256,800 for the Baoma Corporation.
As Time Goes By was second to Private Mission in the Zenyatta. The 4-year-old won both the Santa Maria S. (G2) and Santa Margarita S. (G2) this spring. She is owned by Tabor, Magnier and Smith.
Baffert will cap off Saturday’s card with Medina Spirit in the $6 million Classic (G1), race 12 at 8:40 pm ET. In his first start against older horses, the 3-year-old won last month’s Awesome Again S. (G1) by five lengths. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Medina Spirit has banked over $2.5 million. Baffert has the most wins (4) of any trainer in the Classic, most recently last year with eventual Horse of the Year Authentic.