Baffert loses Country Grammer; WinStar mulls relationship

Another horse has been switched out of the barn of Bob Baffert, with the owner evaluating its relationship with the embattled trainer.

WinStar Farm has moved Country Grammer to the care of Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) winner had his first published work under his new trainer, breezing four furlongs in 49.0 seconds at Belmont Park on Monday morning.

"With the ban on Bob in Kentucky and New York right now, our opportunities are limited to the Pacific Classic in late August," Elliott Walden, president and CEO of WinStar, said in a statement to Horse Racing Nation. "With Improbable last year, we came east and ran in the Whitney, which helped him win an Eclipse Award. We are continuing to evaluate the situation with Bob and will adjust as we need to."

Pletcher and Baffert did not respond to invitations to respond.

The Daily Racing Form reported that Country Grammer is under consideration for the Suburban Stakes (G2) on July 2 at Belmont Park.

Country Grammer's previous win was in the 2020 Peter Pan (G3) last July at Saratoga. Since, he finished fifth in the 2020 Travers (G1) and second in the Californian (G2) in his 2021 debut.