Del Mar: Baffert has 3 in Hirsch, a Breeders' Cup qualifier

Bob Baffert likes to joke around like everybody else. But when it comes to winning Grade 1 races the Hall of Fame conditioner means business. He’s brought two of his best fillies and one of his top mares to this Saturday’s Grade 1 Clement Hirsch, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff this fall at Del Mar.

Baffert has won the Clement Hirsch two years running. His super mare, Adare Manor, won the race in both 2023 and 2024. He also won it with Fighting Mad in 2020. This year Baffert brings the fillies Seismic Beauty and Nothing Like You, as well as his 5-year-old mare Richi. All are graded stakes winners. 

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“They’re all training well,” Baffert says. “It’s a tough race. I think the break is going to be the key but they seem like they’re getting over the track here really well.”

Seismic Beauty is coming into the Clement Hirsch off an impressive victory in the Santa Margarita (G2) over the Memorial Day weekend. She won by five lengths. In her race before, an entry-level allowance, she won by 10 lengths. In both of those races she wired the field.

“She’s doing fantastic,” Baffert states. “Both my fillies are good horses.”

Richi comes off a win in the Santa Maria (G2) in April. She’s also a front runner, meaning decisions will have to be made as to who goes to the lead and who lays back.

“I just let the jockeys figure it out,” Baffert contends. “They know what to do.”

Juan Hernandez is riding Seismic Beauty. Antonio Fresu will be aboard Richi. 

Baffert’s third entry, Nothing Like You, won the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar as a 2-year-old, then captured the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) by seven lengths the following spring. She hasn’t raced since last September when she ran a distant fourth in the Zenyatta (G2).

“We just wanted to freshen her up,” Baffert says about the 10-month layoff. “She just went off form so I gave her some time off. She’s doing pretty well but that’s a tough task and there’s no other race here for her.”

Baffert’s trio is anything but a lock in this race. Kopion is looking to rebound from her loss to Sweet Azteca in the Great Lady M (G2) at Los Alamitos last time out. She did have a good excuse that day.

“She lost a left front shoe,” Mandella notes. “Sometimes horses do that and it doesn’t bother them but she was a little sore.”

Prior to her defeat she had won three straight graded stakes, the G1 La Brea, the Santa Monica (G2) and the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. The only concern might be the stretch out to a mile and a sixteenth. 

“She’s acting like she wants to do it so that’s what we’re going to do,” Mandella says. “I’m anxious to see how she does going two turns. She’s doing great.”

There are two invaders in the Clement Hirsch. Royal Spa comes in from Kentucky where she won the Shawnee (G3) and then finished second to horse of the year Thorpedo Anna in the Fleur de Lis (G2) last time out.

The other invader is Little Hidden Port, an Argentina-bred who is making her U.S. debut for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. 

The 55th running of the Clement Hirsch is the tenth race on the 11-race program Saturday. Probable post time is 9:30 p.m. EDT.