Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert now stands alone atop the winningest trainers in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) history, breaking a tie with D. Wayne Lukas when Citizen Bull gave him his sixth victory Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
“That’s our program,” Baffert said the next morning. “Young horses, developing. … That’s what we work so hard for. All my people, we want to play at the top level.”
All of Baffert’s top 2-year-old colts performed at the top level Saturday as Gaming finished second and Getaway Car fourth behind their stablemate.
“At the quarter pole, I was sitting with my son, Taylor, and I said ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘We’re going to win, I just don’t know which one,'” Baffert recalled.
Despite winning his final prep, the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, Citizen Bull was overlooked by the bettors. Baffert said he was surprised after the race when he saw the 15-1 odds.
Sign up for BloodHorse Daily
“I really didn’t say a word about my horses,” Baffert said about all the prerace festivities. “When you have a speed horse, I’d rather not talk about it. I’d rather come in under the radar.”
Being under the radar was a benefit as Citizen Bull was allowed to set fractions however he liked following the stumbling start of expected pace rival East Avenue . Turning for home, he had plenty left in the tank.
“He wasn’t tired when he came back. He’s just fast,” Baffert said of the Into Mischief colt. “He just caught another gear, he’s getting better.”
Now all signs would point to the May 3, 2025, Kentucky Derby (G1), a race Baffert has been suspended from the last three years due to Medina Spirit’s failed postrace drug test after crossing the wire first in 2021. Baffert said it was nice to see his horses on the top of the point leaderboard again. His three Juvenile contenders currently hold the top three spots. However, he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself as far as planning their future.
“I focus on what’s in front of me here,” Baffert said. “It’s exciting, but that’s a long way’s off.”
Asked whether he would split his three horses up in preparation for the Derby, he said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do, I have no idea. I just go by how they’re training and my gut feeling. I’ll be shipping out and stuff like that, I like going to Oaklawn (Park).”
Van Dyke Soaks Up Breeders’ Cup Win at Del Mar
His Southern California business slumping, jockey Drayden Van Dyke relocated South Florida this summer, hopeful that teaming with successful Florida trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. would rejuvenate his riding career.
It did, plus it brought him back to California, where Nov. 2, he was warmly greeted by fans seeking autographs and photos as he walked to a postrace press conference after riding the Joseph-trained Soul of an Angel to a late-rallying upset victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
“This is my favorite racetrack to be at,” he said. “It’s special to me. I won two riding titles here. I won seven in one day here, so this place is special to me.
“To get a Breeders’ Cup here is icing on the cake.”
Joseph credited his owners—C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken Reimer—for having the faith to ride Van Dyke in the Breeders’ Cup.
“They were good enough to leave Drayden on the horse. He won the Princess Rooney,” Joseph said of Gulfstream Park‘s prep for the Filly & Mare Sprint. “It was always set in stone we wanted to keep him on. We just wanted to weigh all our options.
“Look at Drayden. I reached out him earlier this year to come over to Gulfstream. We needed a rider. He said he wasn’t doing well. Come and give us a try.”
Van Dyke, who during the best period of his career was one of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s most utilized jockeys, took a break last fall to deal with mental health struggles. He resumed riding early this year.
“I’ve learned a lot. It’s how this game is. You’re not always on top. Rare few guys stay on top,” he said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs. You got to get out of ’em. You always need support from some people. You got to be given opportunities. I’m super thankful for what Saffie has done for me.”
Drayden Van Dyke after winning the Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar
The 30-year-old Van Dyke knows full well how mental health can impact a person and a family. His father, Seth, who worked in the racing industry as a jockey, exercise rider, and valet, battled depression, and died of an apparent suicide in Florida in August 2014.
“But the time I took off, I just personally felt I needed it. I’ve been going nonstop since I was 18. I lost my father at (19). I just kept going, kept going, kept going,” he continued. “I never took time to really mourn and process everything. I took the time off for myself, you know?”
Time off that paid off, resulting in his second Breeder’s Cup win after first guiding Stormy Liberal to victory in the 2018 Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
Editor’s Note: Access to suicide prevention services and support are available to those experiencing mental health struggles and emotional distress. One option is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
BC Releases Statement After Believing Scratch
Believing was a late veterinary scratch from Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint after flipping in the gate and unseating rider Ryan Moore.]
The 4-year-old daughter of Mehmas was unsaddled and walked off on her own accord. Moore was uninjured in the incident.
Following the scratch, the field for the Turf Sprint was backed out of the gates and reloaded.
American Association of Equine Practitioners on-call veterinarian Dr. Al Ruggles said in a statement released from the Breeders’ Cup: “The horse has been scratched, as the steward said. It appears to be uninjured. Obviously, we will go over the horse carefully, but they weren’t comfortable with continuing to race … They’ll check her out on the track before so that they can make a decision whether to bring her to the medical facility or to the barn. But, if there’s an injury suspected, she’ll definitely go to the medical facility.”
Believing, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and trained by George Boughey, was making her United States debut in the Turf Sprint. She is a group 2 winner and multiple group 1-placed in Europe.
Believing trains in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar
Sire Standouts
As the sire of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Sierra Leone , Three Chimneys Farm’s leading sire Gun Runner is this year’s top sire by earnings during the two-day World Championships. The son of Candy Ride , however, also is one of three sires to be represented by multiple offspring to win or place.
While Sierra Leone earned $3.64 million for winning the Classic, Gun Runner’s 5-year-old daughter Society picked up another $170,000 for finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Godolphin’s leading sire Dubawi (who stands at Dalham Hall Stud in England) was represented by two to hit the board, too. His best performer was Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) winner Rebel’s Romance , who won the Turf in 2022, and banked $2.6 million for this year’s victory. Dubawi also sired Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) favorite Notable Speech , who had to settle for third behind winner More Than Looks and runner-up Johannes . Dubawi’s two performers earned $2.78 million combined.
Darley Stallions’ Nyquist closed out an extraordinarily strong season as the sire of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Immersive . The son of Uncle Mo has sired four grade 1 winners this year, tying him with Gun Runner at second in this category. Nyquist is the sire as well of Johannes, who was second in the Mile. Immersive and Johannes earned a combined $1.38 million for their efforts.
Breeders’ Cup victories over the weekend also elevated three sires to co-leading status by number of Breeders’ Cup winners. Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa’s Curlin held the title alone with eight winners prior to this year’s World Championships. Curlin is now joined by Dubawi; by Spendthrift Farm’s multiple leading sire Into Mischief , who was represented this year by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Citizen Bull ; and by the late More Than Ready, who was represented by More Than Looks .
Citizen Bull’s victory and the winner’s purse of $1.04 million catapulted Into Mischief’s progeny earnings for the year well beyond $31 million, making him the first North American sire to cross the $30 million progeny earnings threshold in a calendar year.
Quotable
- Jockey Flavien Prat, on riding at Del Mar: “I love riding here. I’ve been coming here for the last six or seven years. It’s a special place for me.”
-
Trainer Charlie Appleby on plans for Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance: “For this fellow, he owes us nothing. We’ll only have a race plan as to how he will tell us the race plan realistically. We’d like to take him back to Dubai and look back towards working back from the Sheema Classic. It’s a race obviously he’s won, but a race that’s close to our heart. A huge night for us. To have a horse turning up like him, an international star, he draws all the intention. Maybe rightfully so.”
Leave feedback about this