Adare Manor vs. males? Baffert says it is a definite maybe

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Decisions, decisions.

Bob Baffert was not about to make any on Sunday after Adare Manor’s rousing victory in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar and National Treasure’s sixth-place flop in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga.

He did raise an exciting possibility when he indicated he would at least consider sending Adare Manor against males in the Aug. 31 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar.

Del Mar: Adare Manor repeats in Clement L. Hirsch.

“I don’t know. You always leave the door open a little bit there. I’m not going to completely close it,” he said of the $1 million Pacific Classic. “We’ll see how she comes back.”

Speaking Sunday morning on Saratoga’s backside, the Hall of Fame trainer noted the 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo who is owned by Michael Lund Petersen is improving with age. She was extremely impressive in turning the Hirsch into her third consecutive victory this season after previous successes in the April 13 Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn and the May 26 Santa Margarita (G2) at Santa Anita.

Under a patient, ultra-confident ride from Juan Hernández, she bided her time in the Hirsch, found herself in a whole lot of trouble around the far turn and displayed the mettle to work her way out of it.

“They had her completely pinned in. They went after her,” Baffert said, adding, “That’s a side we haven’t seen from her.”

That kind of courage surely would be needed if Baffert should opt to run her against males in the Pacific Classic. So would stamina. The Apple Blossom and Hirsch were each run at 1 1/16 miles. The Santa Margarita was contested at 1 1/8.

Baffert immediately dismissed the idea that the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Pacific Classic might send him searching for a softer spot within her own division.

“She’ll go a mile-and-a-quarter, no problem,” he said.

Adare Manor, in successfully defending her title in the Hirsch, secured an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. It was her 10th victory in 18 starts. She has run second five times. Her earnings soared to $2,096,600.

As to why National Treasure ran so poorly in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney after dominating the Met Mile in his previous start, Baffert had no easy answers. The colt finished 10 lengths behind gate-to-wire victor Arthur’s Ride. The winner, based at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, never had been in graded-stakes company before.

“It’s a tough ship. He just didn’t feel like running,” Baffert said of National Treasure. “Sometimes they wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and he did.”

Baffert said he knew his colt was in trouble when he failed to make the early lead and was no better than fourth in the early going.

“He’s not effective running that kind of style,” he said.

He found no fault with jockey Flavien Prat, saying, “The horse just didn’t give it to him.”

Baffert also did not point to the condition of the muddy, sealed surface, which had been pelted by overnight rain. “I don’t think it was the track,” he said.

At the same time, the 4-year-old son of Quality Road slipped to 0-for-3 on off tracks and Baffert acknowledged, “Those have been his worst races.”

On a positive note, Baffert said National Treasure had come out of the Whitney none the worse for wear.

Two important questions remain unanswered for now. What race will serve as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup? Will he run National Treasure in the $1 million Dirt Mile, which he lost by a nose to eventual horse of the year Cody’s Wish in November at Santa Anita, or go for the gusto in the $7 million Classic.

“I’m going to get him back, freshen him up, get him filled out a little bit,” Baffert said.

He has plenty of time, of course, to make a decision about the best possible spot in the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.

“His Mile race last year was pretty good,” Baffert said. “It depends what we have going. He’ll tell me where he wants to be.”