Seismic Beauty © Benoit Photo
BAFFERT SEEKS THREE-PEAT IN G1 CLEMENT HIRSCH SATURDAY
Bob Baffert likes to joke around like everybody else. But when it comes to winning Grade I races the Hall of Fame conditioner means business. He’s brought two of his best fillies and one of his top mares to this Saturday’s G1 Clement Hirsch, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff this fall at Del Mar.
Baffert has won the Clement Hirsch two years running. His super mare, Adare Manor, won the race in both 2023 and 2024. (He also won it with Fighting Mad in 2020.) This year Baffert brings the fillies Seismic Beauty and Nothing Like You, as well as his 5-year-old mare Richi. All are graded stakes winners.
“They’re all training well,” Baffert says. “It’s a tough race. I think the break is going to be the key but they seem like they’re getting over the track here really well.”
Seismic Beauty is coming into the Clement Hirsch off an impressive victory in the G2 Santa Margarita over the Memorial Day weekend. She won by five lengths. In her race before, an entry-level allowance, she won by 10 lengths. In both of those races she wired the field.
“She’s doing fantastic,” Baffert states. “Both my fillies are good horses.”
Richi comes off a win in the G2 Santa Maria in April. She’s also a front runner, meaning decisions will have to be made as to who goes to the lead and who lays back.
“I just let the jockeys figure it out,” Baffert contends. “They know what to do.”
Juan Hernandez is riding Seismic Beauty. Antonio Fresu will be aboard Richi.
Baffert’s third entry, Nothing Like You, won the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar as a 2-year-old, then captured the G2 Santa Anita Oaks by seven lengths the following spring. She hasn’t raced since last September when she ran a distant fourth in the G2 Zenyatta.
“We just wanted to freshen her up,” Baffert says about the 10-month layoff. “She just went off form so I gave her some time off. She’s doing pretty well but that’s a tough task and there’s no other race here for her.”
Baffert’s trio is anything but a lock in this race. Kopion is looking to rebound from her loss to Sweet Azteca in G2 Great Lady M at Los Alamitos last time out. She did have a good excuse that day.
“She lost a left front shoe,” Mandella notes. “Sometimes horses do that and it doesn’t bother them but she was a little sore.”
Prior to her defeat she had won three straight graded stakes, the G1 La Brea, the G2 Santa Monica and the G1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. The only concern might be the stretch out to a mile and a sixteenth.
“She’s acting like she wants to do it so that’s what we’re going to do,” Mandella says. “I’m anxious to see how she does going two turns. She’s doing great.”
There are two invaders in the Clement Hirsch. Royal Spa comes in from Kentucky where she won the G3 Shawnee and then finished second to Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the G2 Fleur de Lis last time out.
The other invader is Little Hidden Port, an Argentine-bred who is making her U.S. debut for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.
The 55th running of the G1 Clement Hirsch is Race 10 on the 11-race program Saturday. Probable post time is 6:30 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: Seismic Beauty (2-1); Royal Spa (Hector I. Berrios, 6-1); Mahina (Mike Smith, 20-1); Nothing Like You (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1); Richi (3-1); Little Hidden Port (Armando Ayuso, 12-1), and Kopion (Kazushi Kimura, 5/2).
KINGS RIVER KNIGHT HOLDS COURT IN CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
Kings River Knight is arguably the most celebrated Cal-bred running, now that The Chosen Vron has been retired. The ‘Kings’ career line is 19-12-5-0 and he’s been the favorite in his last 11 races dating back to May of 2023. He is the reigning champion Cal-bred Turf Horse.
All of this does not bode well for the other 10 horses running in the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes, the opening act for a stakes twin bill on Saturday at Del Mar.
Kings River Knight had won five in a row before he was put on the shelf for 10 months. He returned in March in the $100,000 Sensational Star and ran a dull sixth. But he rebounded to win the $100,000 Crystal Water in May and the $100,000 Bertrando at Los Alamitos in June, serving notice that he was back.
Even the competition knows they’re up against it.
“You just have to hope he doesn’t fire his best shot,” says Mike Puype, trainer of Takes Three, a 4-year-old colt who ran a game second to Kings River Knight last time out in the Crystal Water at Santa Anita. “That horse is by far the best Cal-bred on the grounds.”
“He’s a very special horse,” trainer Carla Gaines adds.
But both trainers feel they have a shot with their off-the-pace runners.
“There’s other speed in the race,” Puype points out. “Miss Jo’s Curlin and Mr. Disrespectful both have speed, too. Hopefully the race sets up and gives us a chance.”
Gaines’ horse Coalinga Road ran third in the Crystal Water.
“Had we not gotten stopped we would have been closer,” she states. “Would we have beat him. Tough to say but I do know there’s a lot of speed stretching out (in the race). Usually Kings River Knight get off on an easy pace. He just kind of out paces the field and then kicks home. So, I’m hoping there will be more pace to run at.”
The 20th running of the California Dreamin’ is Race 9 of 11 races on Saturday. Probable post time is 6 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: Annan (Giovanni Franco, 30-1); Aligato (Antonio Fresu, 4-1); Clouseau (Kent Desormeaux, 12-1); Miss Jo’s Curlin (Drayden Van Dyke, 30-1); Mr. Disrespectful (Hector I. Berrios, 8-1); Barely Functional (Armando Ayuso, 30-1); Coalinga Road (Mirco Demuro, 8-1); Takes Three (Kazushi Kimura, 15-1); Kings River Knight (Juan Hernandez, 1/1); Pure Madness (Tyler Baze, 15-1), and Mystic Spirit (Mike Smith, 15-1).
2-YEAR-OLD BY AMERICAN PHAROAH DRAWS RECORD CLAIM AT DEL MAR
A new record* was set at Del Mar Thursday. Owners Holly and David Wilson claimed a 2-year-old ridgling for $150,000. Never before had anyone taken a plunge that high on one horse at the claiming box.
His name is Mr. A.P., a 2-year-old by American Pharoah, out of the Discreet Cat mare Trenchtown Cat. He’s a Kentucky-bred from Pollock Farms and was making his racing debut in Thursday’s second race at Del Mar. He finished second, 5 ¼ lengths behind the winner Dirty Rich, but 7 ¾ lengths ahead of the third-place finisher Forty Seven.
Del Mar’s highest claim previously was for $125,000 back in 2005 on a 4-year-old colt named Smoocher by John and Allegra Ernst.
Mr. A.P. will move from the Hector Palma barn to trainer Vladimir Cerin.
PAIR OF HANDICAPPING SEMINARS ON TAP THIS WEEKEND
Racing fans can sit in on a pair of free handicapping seminars this weekend held on the Plaza de Mexico. Each day the seminars start at 1:05 p.m. and run for about 30 to 40 minutes.
The seminars feature guest experts with solid opinions on the afternoons’ races. On Saturday, host Frank Scatoni will feature HHH Podcast Network host and public handicapper Noah Meagher. Sunday will see host Dan Smith working with Racing Radio host and handicapper Jon Lindo.
OAK TREE HISTORY COMES TO LIFE IN NEW BOOK
It was one of the most anticipated racing events of the year. The Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita, held every autumn for 40-years, was quality racing with a philanthropic mission.
Some of the biggest names in the sport made their way to the Oak Tree Meet. John Henry, Best Pal, Ancient Title, Ron McAnally, Gary Jones, Chris McCarron and Bill Shoemaker.
But what set the Oak Tree meeting apart from any other was that the profits made during it were distributed to community and industry organizations, from veterinary research to the welfare of the men and women who took care of the horses.
A new book, “The Oak Tree Story,” written by award-winning turf writer Jay Hovdey, captures the stories and background of the celebrated meet.
While the Oak Tree Meet no longer exists, the Oak Tree Racing Association continues and this Saturday at Del Mar the organization will sponsor a day of racing, including the 55th running of the G1 Clement Hirsch.
COOLING OUT: Horse owner and racing executive Mike Pegram has been named this year’s recipient of the Pincay Award. Pegram may be best known for his partnership with trainer Bob Baffert and their near miss in the 1998 Triple Crown with Real Quiet. The Pincay Award is presented to those who have served the sport of racing “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.”…Thursday was not a good day for the chalk. Of the eight races only one favorite managed to reach the winner’s circle. That was Boss Sully in Race 1. The lowest priced winner after that was Lady Rider at 6-1 in Race 4. The biggest price was Baltic Fire in Race 7. She went off at 57-1 and paid $116.40, the highest payoff on a $2 win ticket so far this summer at Del Mar…Suffice it to say there will be a Pick 6 carryover Friday of $38,384.36…One ticket did manage to hit the Pick 5 and paid a whopping $476,322…Notable works for Friday: Silent Law (3f, :35.40); Let It Begin (4f, :46.20); Unbinding (4f, :46.20); Noble Testament (5f, :59.00); St. Petersburg (5f, :59.00), and Barnes (6f, 1:12.00). 116 horses put in official workouts Friday at Del Mar.
*previous version of this story incorrectly indicated this was a world-record.