Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
DEL MAR Baffert has figured out Maximum Security
DEL MAR, Calif. – In the few months he’s had Maximum Security, trainer Bob Baffert has learned that he takes aggressive training. That was evident in the way he was prepared for the Pacific Classic, which he won Saturday at Del Mar, and likely will impact how he’s managed in coming months en route to his next major goal, the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Pacific Classic was a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Both races are 1 1/4 miles. Baffert on Sunday said races such as the Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park on Oct. 10 and the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again at Santa Anita going 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 26, are under consideration as the next step toward the Classic.
“I’ll see how he is in a week or so. I could even wait until the Breeders’ Cup,” Baffert said. “I’ve learned you’ve got to train him. He can take it.”
Baffert said Maximum Security, who earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, appeared to have come out of the race well.
“The hot walker said he was dragging him back to the barn after the race,” Baffert said. “It was easy for him.”
Baffert also hopes other older horses in his barn, such as Improbable and McKinzie, will make it to the Classic, and said his plan is to keep them apart prior to the Classic. McKinzie is headed to Churchill Downs for the Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba going 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 4. Improbable, like Maximum Security, is under consideration for both the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Awesome Again.
“All the boys can meet up at Keeneland,” Baffert said.
Maximum Security is now 2 for 2 for Baffert. He won the San Diego earlier in the meet. “He had to stop, come around, and still won that day,” Baffert said. “You don’t do that here at Del Mar.”
Sharp Samurai, a gallant second in the Pacific Classic, now has options outside the steady diet of grass races he’s been fed for most of his career, trainer Mark Glatt said Sunday.
“He came back good. We have a lot more options now,” Glatt said. “He’s a gelding, so we’ll pick out spots where he’s the best horse, turf or dirt, because we don’t need to establish black type.
“He’s in as good a form as he’s ever been. It’s remarkable what he’s come back from. He had an ulcer under his epiglottis, so his throat is never going to be perfect again. We just have to monitor it. All in all, what he did was pretty impressive.”
Glatt said a year-end goal could be races such as the Breeders’ Cup Mile, on turf, or Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, both on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Midcourt, who nosed out Higher Power for third, was in good order Sunday morning, trainer John Shirreffs reported. He said Midcourt would “run in one of the races at Santa Anita for sure,” most likely the Awesome Again.
Higher Power, the defending winner of the Pacific Classic, “came out of the race good,” said trainer John Sadler, who said he did not have any plans just yet for Higher Power.
“I want to wait a few days, go over him, and come up with a plan,” said Sadler, who called Higher Power’s race “a little bit disappointing.”
Higher Power has now lost six straight since last year’s Pacific Classic, including a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and second to Improbable in this year’s Hollywood Gold Cup.