Baffert goes for 6th Southwest title with high-priced ‘Knight’
Arabian Knight finishes a race on Nov. 5, 2022, at Keeneland. Arabian Knight is entered in today's Grade 3 $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. - Photo courtesy of Coady Photography
Flightline gave them something to talk about leaving Keeneland on a November Saturday following a smashing victory in the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic.
Flightline's name was mentioned with Secretariat's after his valedictory performance in the Classic, which Thursday night resulted in his selection as Horse of the Year.
Chances are Secretariat's name was invoked early after a maiden race on the Keeneland undercard Nov. 5, one won by a Bob Baffert-trained newcomer by 7 1/4 lengths. The Kentucky Derby is never out of mind in horse country, so, despite Baffert's ongoing problems with Churchill Downs, Arabian Knight's name was filed away for future preference.
Even on a star-crossed day of racing at Florida's Gulfstream Park, where Pegasus World Cup events on dirt and grass are scheduled, a Baffert-trained youngster with a hefty price tag racing in Hot Springs is sure to make people take notice.
Oaklawn has been good for Hall of Famer Baffert, and the white-maned trainer shows his gratitude again today.
Arabian Knight is an even-money early favorite in the Grade 3 $750,000 Southwest, the second of the track's four Derby point races. Baffert won a record-tying fifth Southwest title last year with Newgrange, that one ridden by John Velazquez, of late Baffert's go-to man. Velazquez was the regular rider of 2020 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby/BC Classic winner Authentic. The California horseman repeated in the 2021 Derby with Medina Spirit, though that one flunked a post-race test and was disqualified.
Baffert still remains barred from starting a horse at Churchill Downs through Derby 149 May 6. His horses also are banned from earning Derby qualifying points in races like the Southwest. As he did last year with multiple Grade 1 winner Taiba, trained by Tim Yakteen, Baffert is free to have someone else handle one of his prospects in Louisville.
Before getting ahead of ourselves, Baffert wants to see what he's dealing with in Arabian Knight. The Equibase chartcaller at Keeneland said the horse "pulled away" and "wrapped up late," a powerful opening statement. Baffert has won 19 Oaklawn Derby preps but not with a more lightly raced horse than Arabian Knight.
"It's ideal to give them a race short and then stretch them out," said Baffert, whose handling of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify followed that pattern. "But the way the timing is for him, he's doing really well right now (and) sometimes you have to trust your quarterback that he can throw the long ball. I think his athleticism, sometimes, makes up for a lot of it. If you're going to stretch them out, let's run home with some nice horses and see how he can handle adversity and stuff."
The favorite faces eight Southwest opponents going a mile and sixteenth, his first two-turn race, in what one newspaper handicapper calls "the best Southwest in years."
Frosted Departure comes off a head victory in the Renaissance Dec. 30 for Ken McPeek but here goes two turns, perhaps owing to his early 15-1 odds. Francisco Arrieta keeps the mount on Frosted's son. Stablemate Sun Thunder also scored one of the trainer's four victories on the track's first all-juvenile card, going a mile in 1:38.42. David Cabrera rides from the rail post with early odds 10-1 on the Into Mischief colt.
No one except perhaps Baffert on the West Coast is more winning of these races than Brad Cox, whose Mandaloun was named 2021 Derby winner months after the now-deceased Medina Spirit was disqualified. While 2022 Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife goes in the Pegasus World Cup, Cox has three in the Southwest.
Jace's Road (sire Quality Road) is 4-1 after winning the Gun Runner around two turns Dec. 26 in New Orleans. Though losing jockey Florent Geroux, the Quality Road colt gets the able Joe Talamo from post three for high-profile owners Terry Finley and Dennis Albaugh. Hot freshman sire Bolt d'Oro is represented by Corona Road, last-out winner of Fair Grounds' Sugar Bowl going short and calling attention to himself with Flavien Prat aboard. Owned by Barbara Banke, of Curlin fame, he is 6-1 from post two.
Hit Show (10-1), by undefeated Candy Ride, scored an Oaklawn victory Dec. 17 in an allowance/optional claimer. Manny Franco rides for breeders and former Baffert clients Gary and Mary West from post eight.
What would a Southwest be without past winning trainers Wayne Lukas and Steve Asmussen, whose fans should get a square price on Western Ghent and Red Route One, respectively. Remington maiden winner El Tomate, trained by Miguel Silva and 30-1 in the program, would rock the toteboard.
Still, the choice is Arabian Knight, though based on so little evidence. Talking up the horse, Baffert mentioned champion sire Uncle Mo and classic-placed broodmare Indian Charlie, the damsire of Flightline. Toss in a sizzling (9.5 second) eighth-mile workout at the Ocala Breeders' spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, plus the Baffert factor, and one understands why the Southwest favorite sold for $2.3 million. A fondness for Oaklawn brought Baffert here rather than staying home for a Grade 2 race at seven furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita. With eight SA workouts since Nov. 28, do not look for a short horse.
"If he runs well, if the distance isn't too much for him, if he gets tired -- we'll sort of see where we stand with him. We'll find out how he stacks up against these," Baffert said. "It's a good field. It's always tough at Oaklawn. The weather looks good. That's a big factor."
