Whereas the racing world crosses its fingers and hopes there will probably be a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism within the Belmont Stakes (G1), it might be fairly a mistake to sleep on Baeza .
Sovereignty, who received the Kentucky Derby (G1) and skipped the Preakness Stakes (G1), and Journalism, who was second within the Run for the Roses and received the Preakness in spectacular trend, are deservedly the speak of the trade in the mean time. But it might not be a lot of a shock if Baeza takes the June 7 Belmont at Saratoga Race Course and extends the streak to 21 straight Triple Crown races with a special winner.
A son of McKinzie out of the sensible mare Puca , owned by C R Okay Steady and breeder Grandview Equine, Baeza was only a neck behind Journalism within the Kentucky Derby when ending a fast-closing third and was second by rather less than a size to him within the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
“I used to be form of questioning about all the eye specializing in Sovereignty and Journalism,” coach John Shirreffs stated. “They’re forgetting about Baeza. Within the Santa Anita Derby, he did not have the perfect of journeys, both. And clearly within the Kentucky Derby, he by no means bought to the skin when he wanted to.
“I do not know if there’s something I’d need to change about him,” added Shirreffs, who skilled Corridor of Famer Zenyatta . “He’s the overall package deal.”Join BloodHorse Each day
Although Baeza has only a maiden win from his 5 profession begins, Shirreffs believes inserting twice in two of the best-known stakes for 3-year-olds speaks volumes in regards to the colt’s high quality heading into the 1 1/4-mile remaining jewel within the Triple Crown.
“I do not need to take something away from Sovereignty and Journalism, however we’re near them, and with a bit of luck in any respect Baeza can win the Belmont,” he stated.
To date, Shirreffs has been nothing however happy with Baeza’s coaching because the Kentucky Derby.
“He got here out of the Derby very effectively,” he stated. “We introduced him again to California. He is had two breezes right here and he is dealing with his workload rather well. He is consuming effectively and we’re desirous to run him within the Belmont.”
Baeza arrived at Saratoga the night of Could 29.
“He appears to be like fairly vivid coming off the van,” Shirreffs stated, including that following a Could 30 stroll day, Baeza would return to common coaching and in addition go to the paddock to get higher acquainted with the Spa.
“We’ll give him an opportunity to see the whole lot, get a sense for the place he’s and discover his approach to the observe to develop just a little safety for him to know the place he’s at,” Shirreffs stated.
“I’ve watched Journalism all winter and we raced in opposition to him within the Santa Anita Derby—he is a really good horse. I hadn’t seen Sovereignty till I noticed him within the paddock (at Churchill Downs), and he was a really spectacular bodily presence there. So, I believe that is three very nice horses.”
An enormous plus on Baeza’s facet of the ledger ebook is that he definitely has the breeding to win a Triple Crown race.
His dam, Puca, is believed to be the one mare who has ever produced three straight foals who have been in a position to place in a Triple Crown race.
Her second foal was Mage , who received the 2023 Kentucky Derby, then there was Dornoch , who captured final yr’s Belmont Stakes, and now comes Baeza, who was third on the primary Saturday in Could.
“It is superb what his dam has achieved,” Shirreffs stated.
All informed, Puca has produced three straight Kentucky Derby starters, a feat believed to be unmatched within the lengthy historical past of the game.
“She’s a really particular mare,” stated Robert Clay, CEO of Grandview Equine.
Puca raced for Donegal Racing was grade 2-placed in 2015. After her racing profession, she was purchased by Clay for $475,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s The November Sale in 2018.
However after Mage’s Kentucky Derby win, Clay bought Puca to John Stewart for $2.9 million on the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Inventory Sale.
“I do not look very good promoting her, however she had produced some good horses and we had a filly out of her. I am a business breeder and you’ll’t be embarrassed for taking a revenue,” Clay stated.
Wanting to maintain a part of the bloodlines performed an enormous position in Clay searching for to retain a share of Baeza after the colt was bought to Lee Searing’s C R Okay Steady for $1.2 million on the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“We have been sitting on the sale. It was an excellent worth however I needed to see if we may have 1 / 4 share of him they usually agreed,” Clay stated. “I am comfortable we saved this man.”
Photograph: Coady Media/Ashley PhillipsBaeza at Churchill Downs
Particularly with the way in which Baeza, who wanted a scratch to earn a beginning spot within the Kentucky Derby, has confirmed to be top-3 materials within the 3-year-old crop.
“We predict now we have an enormous shot within the Belmont or we would not be attempting. He completed higher than Sovereignty and Journalism within the remaining sixteenth of a mile within the Derby,” Clay stated. “If we get an excellent journey, we predict we’re in there with an excellent probability.”
Within the Kentucky Derby, Baeza broke from the skin put up and was fifteenth after the opening half-mile within the subject of 19. He was bumped and steadied on the five-sixteenths pole, then rallied 5 broad on the ultimate flip and angled out to the 9 path within the stretch when he lastly closed with gusto.
Seventh on the quarter pole below Flavien Prat, he was solely fourth on the eighth pole, about 4 1/4 lengths behind the dueling Sovereignty and Journalism. However in that remaining furlong, he closed strongly on the sloppy observe to complete a neck behind Journalism and one other 1 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Sovereignty.
Photograph: Heather C. JacksonBaeza (left) gallops out alongside winner Sovereignty within the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Prat rode Baeza for the primary time within the Run for the Roses and he’s anxious for one more crack on the prime two within the Belmont Stakes.
“I’m very excited to journey him once more. He had the skin put up however I used to be impressed together with his run,” Prat stated. “He got here into the Derby with much less expertise than many of the others and ran an important race. I really feel with every race he will get higher and we’ve not seen his full potential.”
Ought to it prove that his potential is lastly realized within the Belmont Stakes, then you may also scrap the Dynamic Duo speak and deal with speaking a couple of Terrific Trio.
