Bob Baffert

The GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, featuring a highly anticipated rematch between Dornoch (Good Magic) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), is one of three GI Kentucky Derby prep races on tap on a fantastic day of racing Saturday. Dornoch dug back gamely to defeat Sierra Leone in a heart-stopping renewal of the GII Remsen S. at a rain-soaked Aqueduct Dec. 2, then took care of business in a scratched-down GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Mar. 2. Sierra Leone, meanwhile, returned with an...

It's come down to the last few preps. An outstanding field will meet Friday at Keeneland in the GI Ashland S. Four horses on our Top 10 list will take part in that race. At Aqueduct, they'll be vying for a spot in the field for the GI Kentucky Oaks in the GIII Gazelle S. At Santa Anita, fillies will contest the GII Santa Anita Oaks, but the horse expected to be he heavy favorite, Kinza (Carpe Diem), is trained by Bob Baffert and is therefore ineligible to run in...

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Owner Amr Zedan filed suit Wednesday in Louisville seeking a temporary injunction that would allow his horses and all others trained by Bob Baffert to run in the GI Kentucky Derby and all other Derby-week races. Baffert is not a party to the lawsuit. Zedan owns the GI Arkansas Derby winner Muth (Good Magic), who would be among the Derby favorites if allowed to race. After Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for betamethasone in the 2021 Derby Baffert was banned by...

Zedan Racing Stables' Muth (Good Magic) will target the GI Preakness May 18 at Pimlico following his victory in the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn last weekend, according to Bob Baffert Tuesday afternoon. "My plan's always been, if he ran well [in the Arkansas Derby], we're just pointing him for the Preakness," Baffert said. "So, that's what the plans are." Baffert confirmed that the bay was in good shape physically upon returning to his Southern California base Sunday night. Although the Arkansas Derby was a Kentucky Derby qualifying race, Muth...

The plot thickens as the cadence quickens. Entries will be drawn Tuesday for this Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., and on Wednesday for the GI Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S. 1) MUTH (c, Good Magic--Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 6-4-2-0, $1,504,100. Last start: WON Mar. 30 GI Arkansas Derby. Muth's two-length score in the GI Arkansas Derby cemented his status as...

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas--A pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in Muth (Good Magic) and Timberlake (Into Mischief) squared off on an overcast but warm Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park to contest the 88th running of the GI Arkansas Derby. What the race turned out to be was a strong statement issued by Muth, as Zedan Racing's colt kicked for home, won by two lengths and collected the purse money. Of course--since the 3-year-old is a trainee in Bob Baffert's care--he will not receive his 100 Kentucky Derby points. A record-tying victory,...

If you do not happen to be a Lord of the Rings devotee, then as a horse racing fan you might assume that Gandalf, Frodo, Saruman and Sauron were just names some eccentric owners concocted to toy with The Jockey Club. Well, for true disciples of Tolkein, you understand the 'Two Towers' reference is a major theme in the trilogy, but for our purposes it simply denotes coverage. This Saturday, both Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park are those poles of power when it comes to authoring graded stakes. Their cards...

We're approaching the five-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby, but not all contenders on this week's list are aiming for the first Saturday in May. This coming weekend's nine-furlong stakes at Oaklawn and Gulfstream have the potential to usher in a shake-up within the rankings, which have remained relatively stable as winter edges into spring. 1) MUTH (c, Good Magic--Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW,...

In a field of 10, 'TDN Rising Stars' GISW Muth (Good Magic) and GISW Timberlake (Into Mischief) have drawn the seven and two gate spots, respectively, and lead the charge in Oaklawn's feature GI Kentucky Derby prep race, the GI Arkansas Derby. Muth, 8-5 on the morning line, will attempt to give Bob Baffert his fifth win in the contest, but hasn't started since finding the winner's enclosure in the GII San Vicente S. Jan. 6 at Santa Anita. The colt is ineligible for the Derby points and to run...

5th-FG, $75K, MSW, 3yo, 6f, 3:00 p.m. CORPORAL (Gun Runner) went the way of partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, John Oxley and Breeze Easy on a final bid of $1.15-million at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. His dam MSW/MGSP Kathballu (Bluegrass Cat) is a full-sister MGSW/GISP Kathmanblu, and this is also the family of $1.15-million Stonestreet broodmare GISW Friendly Michelle (Artax). Corporal has flashed speed in the morning, firing bullets in three of his last four works and Flavien Prat takes the reins Saturday afternoon...

Newgate (Into Mischief), recent winner of the GI Santa Anita H., was one of nine American horses to turn in breezes Saturday morning both domestically and abroad in advance of the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse in two weeks' time. An $850,000 Keeneland September yearling, Newgate returned to the worktab for the first time since the Mar. 3 Big 'Cap, covering five furlongs in a bullet :58.20 (1/77) in the company of GIII Native Diver S. winner Mr Fisk (Arrogate) at Santa Anita. Frankie Dettori, who won his...

WinStar will launch four new stallions with first two-year-olds in 2024: Global Campaign, Improbable, Promises Fulfilled, and Tom's d'Etat, and it's Improbable who has come out swinging first at the sales. At OBS March, four of his colts brought six figures, selling for $475,000, $400,000, $300,000, and $250,000 and a first-crop filly fetched $140,000. The $400,000 colt, out of Libby's Tail, who breezed in 9.4 for Eddie Woods-one of three Improbables to hit that mark--was purchased in partnership by David Hanley, the Senior Vice President of Bloodstock Services at WinStar...