Baffert's Ax Man goes wire to wire in Sir Barton Stakes

As a field of six readied for Saturday’s Sir Barton Stakes, the $100,000 race run just before the Preakness Stakes, Pimlico Race Course track announcer Dave Rodman quipped, “The horses may be approaching the starting gate.”

When the rains moved out, fog rolled in, and the duo of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith were left seeking a double as their Ax Man went wire to wire in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds.

Ax Man was briefly considered for the Kentucky Derby trail off a flashy debut win Jan. 1 at Santa Anita Park. But he burned out on the lead of a sprint, then returned to win in allowance company April 8.

Now, Baffert has another colt that could make some noise in the graded stakes ranks.

A son of Misremembered, Ax Man rolled through fractions of 23.56, 46.95 and 1:11.30 before finishing 8.5 furlongs in a final time of 1:42.52. He returned $3.20 to win as a 3-5 favorite.

And it all went according to the same plan Baffert would hope for a race later when Justify headlines the Preakness in the slop.

Steve Asmussen-trained Title Ready was second with Prince Lucky third in the Sir Barton.