America
Pennsylvania Derby for Triple Crown-placed Baeza
Having finished third in the G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Belmont Stakes and runner-up in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes with Baeza (USA) (McKinzie {USA}), C R K Stable's Lee Searing admitted to at least a modicum of remorse about not making another trip East for last month's G1 Travers Stakes.
“We flew him three times,” he explained. “I would have loved to have run in the Travers against Sovereignty one more time. We'll get him again.”
A US$1.2 million (AU$1.8 million) Keeneland September graduate campaigned in partnership with Grandview Equine and managed by one of the more pragmatic trainers in the entire business in the form of John Shirreffs, Baeza rewarded connections' confidence and patience with a highly impressive victory in Saturday's G1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia.
On the attack three-deep on the sweep for home, Baeza came away to score comfortably in the finish. Magnitude (Not This Time), impressive in winning the G2 Risen Star Stakes and Iowa Derby from the front, saved ground from behind the speed this time around and finished with good energy for second. Goal Oriented (Not This Time) held for third.
Baeza's own sire won this race as the 2-1 favourite back in 2018.
Shirreffs, who trained the very talented G1 Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code) for Searing, was earning his first Grade 1 since Express Train (Union Rags) won the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap in the C R K colors.
“Today was one of the most exciting races I have ever participated in, to tell you the truth,” the veteran handler commented. “And that includes races that included Zenyatta. This was like, 'prove yourself today.' And he did. Because of all the hope we had for Baeza, all that build up and working at the barn. It was just like, 'this is it today.'
“This was very gratifying,” he continued. “We have been close in some of the big races and today, he put it all together. He was tactical, he had a kick, he did everything today. He broke okay, but it looked like he was maybe thinking about dropping back a little bit, but Hector (Berrios) was like 'no, no, we are going to stay connected with the field.' He did that and saved maybe a pinch of ground around the turn. He willingly started creeping up and getting better position. The horse ran beautifully, Hector rode him perfectly and it was a great afternoon.”
That 'one more time' Searing referred to as it relates to the 3-year-old king of the hill could come in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on the first Saturday of November, even as the owner was not willing to put that in stone in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's breakthrough success.
Pedigree Notes: Baeza continues the amazing run of success for his dam, Puca (USA) (Big Brown {USA}), who was a very good racemare and who has become one of the most successful producers in recent memory.
A stakes winner and placed in the G2 Gazelle Stakes for Donegal Racing, Puca–a half-sister to Donegal's G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic hero Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB})–was purchased for US$275,000 (AU$417,000) at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale.
The first of two matings with Good Magic yielded Mage, a US$235,000 (AU$356,000) Keeneland September yearling turned US$290,000 (AU$440,000) Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer who became Puca's first Classic winner in the 2023 G1 Kentucky Derby. Dornoch was the product of the second Good Magic covering, and the US$325,000 (AU$493,000) Keeneland September yearling graduate did his part by winning the G1 Belmont Stakes and G1 Haskell Stakes in 2024.
She foaled Baeza in 2022. Puca was offered carrying a full sister to Mage and Dornoch at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale and was originally listed as a buy-back, but John Stewart subsequently acquired the mare privately for US$2.9 million (AU$4.4 million). The mare produced a Good Magic colt in 2024 and a filly by the Hill 'n' Dale sire on May 5, two days after this year's Kentucky Derby. Puca is expected to be offered not in foal at this year's Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars on November 3.
Massive G1 Cotillon field discovers Clicquot
Heading into a mouthwatering renewal of Saturday's G1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing, Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) and La Cara (Street Sense) had combined to win no fewer than five Grade 1 contests over the course of the last 11 months.
But when all was said and done, it was the far less-exposed and extremely well-backed Clicquot (Quality Road), who took over in the final furlong and went on to a narrow victory over Dry Powder (Gun Runner) and Ourdaydreaminggirl (Instagrand) as the pin-up horses played no role in the finish.
“For her to come and beat these fillies, I thought it was quite an accomplishment for her,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “She was a little keen down the back, but Irad gave her a lovely ride. He just let her settle into herself and she traveled beautifully into the straight.
“If she won at Indiana, the plan was to go here and give her a chance, but she's been working well like a top-class horse does. She's all class, she makes our job easy.”
Walsh was non-committal about a next start for his young filly. 'We didn't really think beyond today. We'll see how she comes out of it, but she's going to be a hell of a 4-year-old. It'd be taking a big step again, but who knows?”
Pedigree Notes: Clicquot is the 17th Grade 1 winner by Lane's End's Quality Road and the 18th elite-level scorer produced by a daughter of Tapit worldwide.
Royal Obsession (Tapit), third in the G2 Gazelle Stakes in 2016, was acquired by Don Alberto Corporation for US$1.8 million (AU$2.7 million) in foal to Curlin at Keeneland November in 2017 and Clicquot is one of three winners from three to the races. Clicquot is from the extended female family of Grade 1 winner Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song).
Champion filly Immersive returns to form
Godolphin homebred 3-year-old filly Immersive (USA) (Nyquist {USA}), the unbeaten Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly of 2024, got back on track with her first visit to the winner's circle as a 3-year-old. It's not that she was ever far from it: two months after her G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies win, Godolphin announced she would be given some time off due to bone bruising.
The Seneca Overnight marked Immersive's fourth black-type victory. In addition to the Breeders' Cup, she also captured the G1 Spinaway Stakes and G1 Alcibiades Stakes last year. Hailing from the same family as Grade 1 winner Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), the winner's dam is out of G1 Ballerina winner Dubai Escapade (Awesome Again), a US$2 million (AU$3 million) Barretts purchase by John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin. Immersive's winning dam, Gap Year (Bernardini) is also a Godolphin homebred, and has a yearling filly by Street Sense and is barren for 2026.
