Country Grammer sent back to Baffert

Country Grammer, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May, has rejoined trainer Bob Baffert’s stable for a 2022 campaign.

Saturday at Santa Anita, Country Grammer worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds, the colt’s first major exercise of his comeback.

A 4-year-old, Country Grammer was transferred from Baffert to Todd Pletcher in New York last June in the weeks after the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit tested positive for the banned raceday medication betamethasone in the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert was temporarily banned from having starters at New York Racing Association tracks last year, a policy later overturned by a judge. Country Grammer did not race for Pletcher after an ankle injury surfaced last summer.

Country Grammer is owned by WinStar Farm, which co-owns Life Is Good, a 3-yearold who won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita for Baffert last March but missed the Triple Crown races because of injury. When Life Is Good resumed training in the summer, the colt was sent to Pletcher.

WinStar Farm president Elliott Walden said in a text statement on Saturday that the farm supports Baffert, who has yet to have a hearing with Kentucky regulatory officials regarding the Medina Spirit case.

“I sent Country Grammer and Life Is Good back East because of the legal issues Bob was having at that time,” Walden said. “We didn’t know where they would be able to run. If I thought Bob was doing anything wrong, I would not have sent Country Grammer back to California.”

There are no specific race goals for Country Grammer, but Walden said he is hopeful the colt can start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 5. Country Grammer has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $377,320.

Rombauer has third work

Rombauer is working toward a comeback in early 2022 after a successful 3-year-old season that included a win in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in May and a third in the Belmont Stakes in June.

Owned by John and Diane Fradkin, Rombauer rejoined trainer Michael McCarthy’s stable earlier this fall. Saturday at Santa Anita, Rombauer worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds, his third workout since resuming training.

“We’ll get a couple of fiveeighths under his belt and start trying to line out a game plan,” McCarthy said. “We have all kind of opportunities. It seems like the time off has done him some good.”

Rombauer was given a rest last summer after McCarthy was unsatisfied with his training.

McCarthy-trained Smooth Like Strait is nearing a return to the stable following a second by a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6. Smooth Like Strait was turned out at a local farm for a brief rest last month.

“He’ll be back in on Jan. 1,” McCarthy said. “He’s having a little siesta, a little break. He’ll be a welcome addition. It should be a good year for him.”

Smooth Like Strait won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita last May and was second or third in six other Grade 1 or Grade 2 races duirng 2021, never losing by more than a half-length.

Three-bagger for Baffert, Prat

Until the final furlong of Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, top California jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Bob Baffert appeared on their way to a four-win afternoon.

Prat was aboard the Bafferttrained 1-2 favorite Messier, who led briefly in the stretch of the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles. Slow Down Andy led in early stretch and lost his advantage to Messier only to retake the lead en route to a one-length win.

Earlier on the program, Baffert and Prat teamed to win maiden special weight races with the 2-year-olds Doppelganger and Under the Stars, and a first-condition allowance race with Essential Wager.

Doppelganger won his debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight race by 3 1/2 lengths at 1-2, closing from seventh in a field of nine after breaking from the rail. Doppelganger left Prat impressed, considering the colt sustained a bump at the start.

“He had the one hole and that’s never easy,” Prat said. “He got bumped around a bit. He took some kickback. When it was time to make a run, he reacted well.”

Under the Stars closed from fifth of 12 to win her third start by three lengths, finishing six furlongs in 1:09.16.

The 3-year-old colt Essential Wager won his second consecutive start, and first against winners, displaying the sort of performance that could translate into a stakes appearance in the near future.

Essential Wager stalked the early pace, took the lead on the turn, and won by two lengths, finishing six furlongs in 1:07.86. Essential Wager earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99. Doppelganger and Under the Stars earned Beyer Speed Figures of 80.