By Patrycja Szpyra
Goal Oriented (Not This Time) notched a Grade I feather to his 2025 cap, but also further gilded a fabulous year for his sire, as he strolled home powerfully to take the GI Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on opening day.
The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' burst onto the scene Apr. 6 at this venue in a maiden special that yielded next out winners, and eventual stakes horses, namely MSW Train the Trainer (Dialed In) and SP Varney (Vekoma) while Concord Bridge (Medaglia d'Oro) and Day and Age (Omaha Beach) both returned to break their maidens next out. From there he picked up another victory against optional claimers at Churchill Downs and was sent to Pimlico for the infamously rough running of the GI Preakness Stakes in mid-May. Running third in both the GI Haskell Stakes and GI Pennsylvania Derby July 19 and Sept. 20, respectively, he was last seen running sixth at the World Championships in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile behind GISW NYsos (Nyquist). That stablemate returned earlier on the card to once again run another fellow Baffert-trainee into submission in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes.
Goal Oriented, racing with blinkers off and the even-money favorite, was content to watch the race unfold behind eager leaders as they sailed through an opening quarter in :21.87 and a half in :44.30. He improved his position from the overland route as Modus Bestia (Maclean's Music) faded to his inside after being the first to the front up the backstretch. Goal Oriented was the looming danger as they swung for home, and entered the lane with a full head of steam, inhaling Midland Money (Shancelot) and Madaket Road (Quality Road) as that pair battled from the inside. The eventual winner was never threatened on the far outside as he hit the wire much the best. Midland Money fought on for second while Speedy Wilson (Tough Sunday) picked up the pieces for third. The final time was 1:20.97. Baffert claimed three of the top four spots and a record seventh win in the contest.
There was drama before the race when Cornucopian (Into Mischief) was scratched in the paddock after rearing in the saddling area and going to his hind quarters, an automatic scratch from the race. The connections reported in the post-race interview that the horse was doing fine and back in his stall.
Of the paddock incident, Baffert said, “It was just a whirlwind. Cornucopian was saddled and he just reared up a little bit, lost his footing and sat down like a dog. He was alright but once they do that it's an automatic scratch here and I understand that. It was just silly, but it happens. So there was a lot of pressure on the other boys–Barnes had to scratch, then Cornucopian.”
The conditioner did say that the victory helped soften the blow of a wild day for his barn. “'Goal' we know is a good horse and Madaket [Road] looked like he was going to take it for a while. And my other horse [Midland Money, second] ran really big. I'm just happy that it turned out. That we won it. I told Joel not to rush Goal Oriented. We slowed him down and took off the blinkers and he responded.”
“Bob had told me last week that this horse was doing really well,” said co-owner Tom Ryan. “I've seen him working with Nevada Beach, and when Nevada Beach ran so well earlier [in the Laffit Pincay, second to Nysos], it kind of gave me confidence that this was the potential outcome. He got a nice draw on the outside.”
“I'm just delighted Cornucopian is okay. He's okay and back in his stall and now we have a winner in the Malibu, so it's a great credit to the entire team to have all these horses well prepared this time of the year. I look forward to the 4-year-old career with this horse.”
Pedigree Notes:
Goal Oriented is the first black-type runner for his dam, and her most accomplished as the lone Grade I winner. The aforementioned mare, Bizzy Caroline, was herself a multiple graded winner on the track, but had yet to produce offspring that emulated her successes. Of her nine foals, eight made it to the races, and four got their pictures taken. One of her placed daughters, Tenacious Jewel (Medaglia d'Oro) is now a winner producer herself while a second has placed offspring. Goal Oriented is the most recent to the races as the mare was barren in 2023 and lost her 2024 Oscar Performance. She does claim a 2025 weanling colt by Up to the Mark as the most recent on record.
Bizzy Caroline hails from a noteworthy family in her own right as the half-sister to champion Lady Eli (Divine Park), the dam of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Dr. Agne (Into Mischief). Another half-sibling, French winner Sacred Caroline (Blame), remained in Europe after her racing career and produced MGSW & G1SP-Eng Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). This is the extended female family of MGISW Spiced Perfection (Smiling Tiger) and Canadian champion Spring In the Air (Spring at Last).
✨GOAL ACHIEVED! ✨
🏅GOAL ORIENTED ($4.20) blew by the field and took home the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) at @santaanitapark. @JRosarioJockey was on board for trainer @BobBaffert. @TomRyanKY @MadaketStables @StarlightRacing @StonestreetFarm pic.twitter.com/qq6M64I1c0
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 29, 2025
Sunday, Santa Anita Park
MALIBU S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-28, 3yo, 7f, 1:20.97, ft.
1–GOAL ORIENTED, 120, c, 3, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Bizzy Caroline (MGSW, $347,935),
by Afleet Alex
2nd Dam: Sacre Coeur, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: Kazadancoa (Fr), by Green Dancer
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. ($425,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Determined Stables, Masterson, Robert E., Ryan, Tom J., Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & CWC Investment 2, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Joel Rosario. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-2, $624,460. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Midland Money, 120, c, 3, Shancelot–Magnolias in Bloom, by Flatter. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($40,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $130,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $650,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-CSLR Racing Partners LLC; B-Memory Lane Racing, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Speedy Wilson, 120, c, 3, Tough Sunday–Queenofhercastle, by Ministers Wild Cat. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Nick Alexander (CA); T-Philip D'Amato. $36,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, 1. Odds: 1.10, 4.00, 13.10.
Also Ran: Madaket Road, Smooth Cruisein, Berlin Wall, Modus Bestia. Scratched: Barnes, Cornucopian, Spenard.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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