'Just in case,' Baffert sends Bast's stablemates in Santa Ynez
Bob Baffert was responsible for three of five entries in Santa Anita Park’s opening day Malibu Stakes (G1). In similar fashion, the Hall of Fame trainer has made sure there’s a field of newly turned 3-year-old fillies assembled for Sunday’s featured Santa Ynez Stakes (G2).
The Baffert barn’s responsible for three of seven entries in the Kentucky Oaks prep, headlined by the three-time Grade 1 winner Bast, who last month won Los Alamitos’ Starlet Stakes (G1) in a rebound performance from the Breeders’ Cup.
“Bast has been working well, despite the fact that I’ve had a little bug running through my barn, so I’ve entered these horses just in case,” Baffert told Santa Anita publicity.
Bast has the outside post position while cutting back to seven furlongs. Her stablemates both occupy inside stalls with debut winner Auberge in the No. 1 hole and Golden Principal in the No. 2.
Bast, a daughter of Uncle Mo, broke her maiden in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and then won Santa Anita’s Chandelier (G1). She ran too close to a hot pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, fading to third.
Speedway Stable’s Iowa-bred Auberge broke her maiden Oct. 27, blasting a maiden special weight field at Santa Anita. The same owner behind colts such as Collected and Roadster went to $570,000 to purchase her as a 2-year-old last May.
Florida-bred Golden Principal won her Nov. 30 start at six furlongs for McKinzie’s ownership group of Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman. Curiously, Mike Smith hops aboard for them for the first time since losing the mount last fall on top older horse McKinzie.
“I wanted to enter Auberge and Golden Principal in allowance races, but they didn’t fill,” Baffert said. “…They’re nice fillies and I hate to run them all against each other, but that’s what we have here now.”
Baffert has won the Santa Ynez four times previously with Awesome Baby (2013), Indian Blessing (2008), Yearly Report (2004) and Queen of Money (1997).
Santa Anita’s odds maker, Jon White, installed Bast as the even-money favorite to make it a fifth victory in this even for Baffert. If Bast fails to fire — Baffert mentioned the barn virus, after all — his other runners will vie for a share of Oaks qualifying points paid out on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the Top 4 finishers.