Baffert 3-year-olds start switching barns

In the aftermath of a judge’s ruling last week denying trainer Bob Baffert’s motion to have his ban from this year’s Kentucky Derby overturned, several 3-year-olds previously trained by him will be moving to other trainers in order to become eligible to earn qualifying points in upcoming Derby prep races.

On Monday, Reincarnate was entered for Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park under trainer Tim Yakteen’s name. Arabian Lion, Carmel Road, Hejazi, and Fort Warren – like Reincarnate who have made all their starts for Baffert – were nominated to the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes on March 4 at Aqueduct for a different trainer. All but Fort Warren were listed with Yakteen as trainer. Fort Warren was nominated with Maryland-based Brittany Russell as trainer.

Owing to the medication positive detected in Medina Spirit following his victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs from participating in the Kentucky Derby through this year’s running on May 6. Further, under the rules set forth in the Triple Crown nomination form, any horse in the care of a trainer suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. must be moved to a trainer not suspended by CDI by Feb. 28 in order to be eligible to earn qualifying points in designated races moving forward leading up to the Derby.

Arabian Lion and Hejazi are both owned by Amr Zedan, who also owns Arabian Knight, considered by many the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby based on his first two starts. It is presumed – though not yet confirmed – Yakteen will be Arabian Knight’s trainer for his next start, which also has yet to be determined. Last year, when Baffert was serving a 90-day suspension related to the Medina Spirit positive, Yakteen ran Taiba for Zedan – as well as Messier for SF Racing et al – in the Kentucky Derby.

The Rebel offers 100 points (50-20-15-10-5) to its top five finishers toward the Kentucky Derby. Reincarnate, owned by a vast partnership headed by SF Racing, won the Grade 2 Sham Stakes on Jan. 8 at Santa Anita but was ineligible to earn the 10 points that went with it due to the ban.

In confirming Reincarnate’s entry into the Rebel with Yakteen as trainer and John Velazquez named to ride, Tom Ryan, managing partner for SF Racing, communicated via text, “he touted himself with his win in the Sham Stakes as a colt we could take on the road. He’s very tractable and has matured physically since the Sham win. In my opinion, the distance will not be a disadvantage to him.”

SF Racing and partners own 14 of the 29 Triple Crown-nominated horses trained by Baffert, which were actually listed as TBD as trainer on the official nomination sheet. Ryan texted that should Carmel Road work well this weekend in California, he would ship to New York for the Gotham, a one-turn mile race that awards 100 qualifying points toward the Derby. Carmel Road, a son of Quality Road, won a one-mile race last summer at Del Mar. He has not started since finishing second to Practical Move – coincidentally trained by Yakteen – in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 17.

In looking to run in Derby prep races out of California, Ryan noted the loss two years ago of Tex Sutton, an equine charter company, has put a crimp in shipping. Horses must now fly FedEx, which is a more complicated ship due to availability and scheduling. Reincarnate will have to ship to Memphis and van to Oaklawn, Ryan said.

“We need to have Tex Sutton back on deck with more direct flights making it easier on the animals that have to ship across the country to participate in these critical and lucrative prep races,” Ryan said.

Nominations to the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe, another 100-point race, run March 4 at Santa Anita close Thursday. It was not yet finalized which horses from Baffert’s barn might be nominated to that race with another trainer. Baffert trained 22 of the 27 horses that were nominated to the San Vicente and Robert Lewis run Jan. 29 and Feb. 4, respectively. Baffert had four of the five starters in the San Vicente – a non-Derby points race – and all four starters in the Lewis, none of whom earned Derby points for their finishing positions in that race.

The Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes is scheduled for March 4 at Gulfstream Park. Hard to Figure, runnerup in the Robert Lewis, was nominated to that race under Baffert’s name. If he runs in that race with Baffert as the trainer, Hard to Figure would be ineligible to compete in the Kentucky Derby. Hard to Figure is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, who also own Cave Rock, the multiple Grade 1 winning 2-year-old who has yet to start at 3.

Harlocap, owned by Harlo Stables and Villa Rosa Farm, was moved from Baffert to Steve Asmussen and finished sixth in last Saturday’s Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

As his ban is only from Churchill Downs, Baffert is clear to run horses under his name in the Preakness on May 20 at Pimlico and the Belmont Stakes on June 10 at Belmont Park.