Baffert, Hernandez win 4 Sunday en route to Los Alamitos titles

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Juan Hernandez completed the September thoroughbred meet, which wrapped Sunday at Los Alamitos, in style.

The pair teamed to win four races, completing the joint quadruple with Cowboy Mike, who easily captured the $53,000 feature as the 6-5 favorite.

Earlier in the afternoon, Baffert and Hernandez combined to score with first-time starter Pinecone in the second, Ultra Power in the fifth and Betty’s Song in the sixth.

It was the second time Baffert has had four wins at Los Alamitos since daytime thoroughbred racing returned in 2014. He previously accomplished the feat Dec. 7, 2019.

His big closing day also enabled Baffert to win another local training title. He finished the six-day meet with five wins, two more than Luis Mendez, Vladimir Cerin, George Papaprodromou and John Sadler. It was the 14th time Baffert has either led or shared the training title here.

Hernandez, meanwhile, achieved perfection during the brief season. He was a winner with all six of his mounts, enabling him to finish in a three-way tie with Ramon Vazquez and Diego Herrera for the riding crown.

It was the fifth time in as many meets at Los Alamitos that Vazquez has either led or shared the title. It was the third time Hernandez has either led or shared the top spot and it was the first for Herrera.

Hernandez became the seventh jockey to win four in a day, joining Vazquez, Abel Cedillo, Drayden Van Dyke, Edwin Maldonado, Assael Espinoza and Jorge I. Velez.

Vazquez holds the record with five. He quintupled last Sept. 25, the final day of the 2022 September season.

Owned by breeder Connie Pageler, Cowboy Mike, a 3-year-old son of Smiling Tiger and the Maria’s Mon mare Lutess, tracked early leader Galoping Cat while outside, took over before a half-mile had been run and went on to win by seven lengths.

The win was the second in six starts for the gelding, but the first time he has crossed the finish line first. Cowboy Mike picked up his maiden victory via disqualification July 23 at Del Mar. He has earned $99,920 to date.

The chestnut completed the mile in the optional claimer for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California in 1:37.15. He paid $4.40, $3.20 and $2.20.

Buck Owens, the 4-1 second choice, completed the exacta, finishing a half-length in front of 4-1 third choice Wine and Whisky. Buck Owens returned $4.20 and $3 while the show price on Wine and Whisky was $2.80.

The final daytime thoroughbred meet of the year at Los Alamitos will begin Friday, Dec. 8.