Favored Corniche’s sensational front-running effort supplied embattled coach Bob Baffert with a report fifth triumph within the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Corniche, despatched off at odds of 7-5, easily accelerated from the far exterior put up in a area of 11 to imagine the early benefit. Though he carved out stable fractions of 23.03 seconds for a quarter-mile and 46.15 seconds for a half-mile, he nonetheless had a lot left on the finish to defeat Pappacap by 1 ¾ lengths and permit Baffert to surpass fellow Corridor of Famer D. Wayne Lukas for probably the most Juvenile victories whereas 56-year-old jockey Mike Smith emerged because the second-oldest rider to win a Breeders’ Cup race after Bill Shoemaker.
The seemingly ageless Smith secured his twenty seventh Cup win to increase his personal mark. Three of these have come within the Juvenile. He mentioned of 3-for-3 Corniche, a son of High quality Street bought by Speedway Stable as a $1.5 million yearling: “He’s simply dynamite.”
Smith mentioned of his newest flawless efficiency within the season-ending championships: “There’s something in regards to the Breeders’ Cup that, for no matter odd cause, it simply takes me to a different degree.”
Corniche accomplished 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.50. Pappacap ran on nicely to safe a transparent second, 1 ½ lengths forward of Giant Game.
Smith didn’t have a Breeders’ Cup mount final yr and his enterprise has fallen off this season. He hopes his success within the race that represents the centerpiece of Future Stars Friday will present homeowners and trainers that he nonetheless has a lot to supply. “I pray it does. I don’t plan to retire any time quickly,” he mentioned.
Baffert praised Smith for the way in which he dealt with Corniche from a put up that might have doomed a lesser horse and a lesser jockey. “I knew he was going to have to make use of him more durable than we wish to. However Mike Smith is such an incredible rider. I really like him on a velocity horse like that,” he mentioned.
Baffert, 68, could not have the ability to get pleasure from his time with Corniche for much longer. As a result of he faces a two-year ban from Churchill Downs because of Medina Spirit’s constructive drug take a look at following the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, his horses aren’t allowed to earn factors to qualify for the following two editions of the run for the roses. Proprietor Peter Fluor indicated that challenge will quickly be addressed by the connections.
“That could be a truthful query. This race is so necessary for Corniche’s profession and what it might imply so far as 2-year-old focus. We needed to get to this race and see how we did,” Fluor mentioned. “Bob and I’ll sit down and speak and so we’ll see what occurs. We haven’t made any choices.”
When requested about assigning the possible 2-year-old champion to a different coach, Fluor responded, “It could be troublesome, yeah. However Bob and I’ve all the time talked. We’ve been very candid. I flew out and visited with him and mentioned, ‘We’ve obtained to do what’s proper for the horse.’”
Corniche exhibits each signal of being a severe Derby contender. He broke his maiden by 4 ¼ lengths when going five-and-a-half furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 4. He dealt with a leap to Grade 1 competitors with ease, controlling the Oct. 1 $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park by 3 ¼ lengths over Pappacap.
As a result of Derby and different current constructive drug exams involving his horses, Baffert’s runners have confronted rigorous out-of-competition testing earlier than the Breeders’ Cup and his barn has been carefully monitored. He might be represented on Saturday by celebrity Gamine within the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint and by Medina Spirit within the $6 million Longines Classic.
Baffert mentioned of successful the Juvenile throughout a tumultuous interval in his profession: “I need individuals to know that Bob Baffert is an efficient coach and takes care of his horses.”
The Juvenile took an sudden flip a day earlier than the beginning gate snapped open. Jack Christopher, undefeated by two eye-popping begins together with a 2 ¼-length win within the Champagne Stakes for coach Chad Brown and the morning-line 9-5 favourite, was scratched with an damage to his left shin.
Jack Christopher confirmed each signal of being in prime type after breezing 5 furlongs in a bullet 1:00.82 on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park, solely to endure a setback on the worst doable time for homeowners Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant. Though there’s each cause to consider the colt will make a full restoration and his 3-year-old season is not going to be impacted, lacking the Juvenile represented a brutal disappointment for the connections.
Bradley Weisbord, racing supervisor for co-owner Bakke, maybe expressed the sentiment of many when he mentioned he felt “gutted” for the connections.
