Report: Abel Tasman among Baffert's Breeders' Cup retirees
Following a successful day for promising juveniles on “Future Stars Friday,” trainer Bob Baffert had further hopes for Breeders' Cup success dashed Saturday under the Twin Spires.
The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint favorite Marley’s Freedom could only manage fourth to start the day. Then Vale Dori and Abel Tasman were the last two horses to cross the wire in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Finally, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, West Coast ran seventh while McKinzie faded to 12th.
According to the Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman, Abel Tasman and Vale Dori are now retired and will be bred in 2019. Vale Dori will go to Triple Crown winner Justify, also trained by Baffert, while a stallion is to be determined for Abel Tasman.
West Coast and Collected, who was entered for the Classic but did not draw in, will not be returning to Baffert's Southern California base and already have plans to stand at stud. West Coast will go to Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky. – as will Classic winner Accelerate – and Collected will head to Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky.
In the Distaff, Abel Tasman was pumped on by jockey Mike Smith to get involved in the race early before fading to last. She was fifth last time out in the Zenyatta (G1), which was upset by stablemate Vale Dori.
As for the Classic, McKinzie sat off the pace and just ahead of West Coast. Neither could hold their position. McKinzie previously won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), his first race back since being taken off the Kentucky Derby trail. West Coast was also beaten by Accelerate one race earlier in the Awesome Again (G1), which was West Coast’s first race since the Dubai World Cup. The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the only race in 13 starts West Coast has not finished in the money.
"They looked good for about a mile," Baffert said Saturday of his contenders. "They just tired and they just didn't have it today. (McKinzie) is lightly raced and playing catch-up. I thought West Coast would run a little better than that. Accelerate is a good horse and he was the best horse."
On Friday, Baffert-trained Improbable was a dominant winner in the Street Sense Stakes and Game Winner scored in the feature race, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.