Baby Vino: Post 8; Morning Line: 10-1
Trainer: Lindsay Schultz; Jockey: Paco Lopez
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026
After a pair of surprise victories, one by 10 ¾ lengths in the Pegasus Stakes, the other a 28-1 upset of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo in the Haskell Stakes (G1), Baby Vino could be a serious contender.
Reunited with jockey Paco Lopez, much to the dismay of Jose Vargas, Jr. who was aboard the Haskell winner because Lopez was committed to Napoleon Solo, the son of Vino Rosso seems a live longshot at 10-1.
Lopez was aboard for the win in the Pegasus, and according to trainer Lindsay Schultz, he is quite familiar with her first Grade 1 winner.
“Paco has been instrumental in developing Baby Vino, having worked him before his maiden and having ridden him to win the Pegasus," Schultz said in a Twitter post. “Paco expressed confidence that Baby Vino was a Grade 1 horse before he even broke his maiden. We're grateful to both Jorge and Paco and excited to have a chance to win another Grade 1.”
That said, taking on the best 3-year-olds in the country is a huge ask for a colt that needed five races to break his maiden, but comes into the Travers on a three-race win streak.
“He showed another level, really,” Schultz said of his Haskell effort. “We thought he belonged, but he'd never been tested anywhere close to a group like that ... When he got down to running, he wasn't going to stop even if it wasn't the perfect circumstance.”
In addition to the jockey change, a new co-owner joined in after the Haskell win, with Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud buying an undisclosed share from Cosmo Stables, a small Arkansas-based operation.
Baby Vino finally won after four previous attempts, taking a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park on May 1. It’s been a sweet ride since.
“He’s a Grade 1 winner, he hasn’t run in the classics, and he’s never run a mile and a quarter before, but he trains like he will [get it],’’ Schultz told drf.com.
Baby Vino appears to be a versatile, forward-going type with improving tactical speed and a strong closing kick. In the Haskell, he challenged Napoleon Solo in the stretch, the two bumped a bit, but Baby Vino prevailed by a half-length – and paid $58 on a $2 win bet.
He can rate or press the pace as he has shown in his three-race win streak.
With only one off-the-board finish in seven career starts, Baby Vino could be a serious challenger, especially if there’s an off-track.
Napoleon Solo, as well as longshot Sea Strike, seem likely to be in front from the start, with Baby Vino just off the pace or even at mid-pack. With Lopez aboard, look for a move closer to the rail from post 8. A quick pace could be helpful, but with top betting choices Golden Tempo and Renegade closing, it’ll be a tough task in a deep field of well-tested 3-year-olds.
At 10-1 or better, why not take a shot? And maybe we’re due for a huge upset. At least a play in a trifecta or superfecta. Golden Tempo’s long layoff and a jockey change for Renegade could be factors. From a maiden win to a stakes win to a Grade 1 win in four months? Not bad.
-- Richard Rosenblatt
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
