Newgrange, Rockefeller Give Baffert 1-2 End In Sham, But Neither Horse Earns Kentucky Derby Factors – Horse Racing News



Ho hum.

A further 12 months, yet another bevy of major-shelf 3-yr-previous colts for coach Bob Baffert.  That was the storyline at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, as Baffert runners Newgrange and Rockefeller ran a person-two through in the Quality 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-yr-olds at a person mile, supplying him a few consecutive wins in the Sham and 8 total.  Ridden to victory by John Velazquez, who collected his third stakes earn on the fourth day of the fulfill, Newgrange, who slowed items down nicely, prevailed by 2 ¾ lengths and acquired the length in 1:38.32 after fractions of :24.46, :48.94, 1:12.84 and 1:25.27.

With submit time preferred Rockefeller drawn to his speedy outside, the Baffert pair have been hustled from the gate but promptly settled into wonderful rhythm, with Newgrange preserving a a person-size benefit leaving the a few-furlong pole and he was in comprehensive command turning for home.

The third preference at 5-2, Newgrange, who was a 1st-out maiden winner going 6 furlongs less than Velazquez Nov. 28 at Del Mar, compensated $7.40.

No match for his stablemate late, Rockefeller held off a rapid finishing Oviatt Class by a nose for next and paid $2.60 and $2.20 as the 3-2 beloved with Flavien Prat.

“There was a single pace, the other Bob Baffert horse (Rockefeller) and I am very certain he didn’t want them in a head and head,” Velazquez stated. “He advised me to put my horse on the lead. After my horse received to the guide he waited. I took a minor keep of him and he type of begun ready for the horses, so I started ready for the horses to arrive to him, by the time we obtained to the bottom I sort of let him do his personal matter. I let him get in a cozy rhythm, soon after that it was pretty effortless although.

“He’s so environmentally friendly,” the rider included, “he feels like he bought on by himself, he was waiting around for horses so, I had to give him a very little reminder to continue to keep his thoughts on jogging and his gallop out was rather great so it however appears to be like he is studying.”

In an encouraging performance, Oviatt Class finished properly into gradual splits and functions like a colt who could enhance with extra length for coach Keith Desormeaux.  Ridden by his brother Kent, Oviatt Course was off at 4-1 and paid $2.40 to present.

Even though any Baffert runners are not now qualified for Kentucky Derby qualifying points – following Baffert-skilled Medina Spirit failed a drug test pursuing his first-put complete in the 2021 Kentucky Derby – the problems of the race state that the winner is to receive 10 factors, with 4 for 2nd, two for third 3rd, and a single level for the fourth-location finisher, MacKinnon. Churchill Downs Inc., which operates the Derby at its flagship monitor in Louisville, Ky., has excluded Baffert horses from participating at any of its tracks by the close of the 2023 spring meeting at Churchill Downs and additional said the horses are not suitable for qualifying factors if Baffert is their coach.

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