Marley's Freedom gave Bob Baffert his second Grade 1 winner in about 30 minutes on Saturday at Saratoga when she scored a 3 1/4-length victory in the $500,000 Ballerina S. (G1).

In the race prior, Abel Tasman won the Personal Ensign S. (G1) on the same track. Both wins were the first in the respective races for their Hall of Fame trainer. 

Saturday's win was the third straight in a graded stakes for Marley's Freedom, but her first Grade 1 win.

Breaking from post seven, Marley's Freedom was well off the rail the entire seven-furlong trip. After sitting a few lengths off the pace for the first three furlongs, she ranged up four-wide coming into the final quarter-mile. Let loose by Mike Smith just outside the furlong pole, she swiftly accelerated away from the field to win by 3 1/4-lengths in 1:21.39.

“Winning her last two races was pretty impressive,” Baffert said. “The quality is there and you have to come to Saratoga if you are looking for a championship. That is why I brought her, to see how she fits [and] this was a pretty good field.” 

Baffert was referring to his filly's two most recent starts, wins in the Great LadyM S. (G2) and Desert Stormer S. (G3). Owned by Cicero Farms LLC, she is now 6-2-0 in 14 starts and has earned $628,435.