It’s been a quiet Saratoga meet for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. That could change dramatically on Saturday.
Somewhat surprisingly, Baffert does not have an entrant in the big show, the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles.
Instead, the silver-haired conditioner from California came to town loaded with sprinters.
Baffert sends out three of the eight runners in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) and he has the horse to beat in the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs.
The Ballerina offers a “Win and You’re In" berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Baffert will look for his third Ballerina win (Marley’s Freedom, 2018 and Gamine, 2021) with Hope Road, the 3-1 second choice from post 9.
The assignment got easier when Ways and Means was forced to miss the race after spiking a temperature. Trainer Chad Brown said it’s no big deal, and she should soon be back in training.
Ways and Means would likely have been the Ballerina favorite based on her record of four career wins at Saratoga including last year’s Test Stakes (G1).
Hope Road has a history of running big off the bench. She doesn't need a prep race to hit her best stride.
She returned from a three-month layoff to run one of her best career races, a second-place finish to Kopion in the Derby City Distaff (G1) on Derby Day in the slop at Churchill Downs.
The follow-up was a huge disappointment, an uninspired third in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3) three weeks later as the 4-5 favorite.
The daughter of Marley’s Freedom has gotten plenty of rest since that race on May 26 … and that makes her very dangerous in here.
“I think she ran her race in the big race on Derby Day and then she came back and I think she probably didn’t bring her ‘A’ race that day,” Baffert said. “But she’s freshened up and she’s training well, so we’re giving her a chance. Her mother won this race a few years ago, so hopefully she can have the same kind of luck.
“I think this is what she wants. She can go two turns, but I think seven-eighths is a good distance for her.”
So is the post. Hope Road should get an ideal stalking trip from out there with Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time.
Bet on Ballerina: Looking for the Right Exacta Wager
Now let’s fill the exacta underneath with Zeitlos, Scylla and My Main Squeeze.
Zeitlos (6-1) had the perfect tune-up, a hard-charging second to miss by only a half-length in the Caress Stakes (G3) on the turf.
Considering grass really isn't her game, it was a big try. So, we get the popular, and often very effective, turf-to-dirt angle.
And she’s in very competent hands. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a three-time Ballerina winner (Lady Tak, 2004; Echo Zulu, 2023 and Society, 2024).
Trainer Bill Mott is poised the take the big prize of the afternoon, the Travers (G1) with Sovereignty, and could also snare this one with Scylla, the 5-2 favorite with a knack for hitting the board in stakes races.
Let’s close it out with My Main Squeeze. The reigning New York Thoroughbred Breeders Horse of Year is fresh from a strong front-running stakes win against state-breds.
She will undoubtedly try those same tactics again with Luis Saez again in the saddle. This is a much tougher assignment, but she rarely tosses a poor effort.
The Ballerina, race 11 with a post time of 4:59 p.m. ET is one of six graded stakes on Travers Day. Of course, the Travers, race 13, is the main event. Also on the undercard are the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1), a BC “Win and You’re In" race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1); the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (race 10) and the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1) (race 12 and a “Win and You’re In" race for the BC Dirt Mile (G1); and the $400,000 Lake Placid (G2), race 7.
For those who bet horse racing, here are the selections for the Ballerina.
1 Mystic Lake (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 10-1,
2 Brightwork (John Velazquez, Jose Ortiz), 15-1
3 Majestic Oops (Kendrick Carmouche, Dan Ward), 15-1
4 Halina's Forte (Joel Rosario, Phil Bauer), 10-1
5 Claret Beret (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 6-1
6 Zeitlos (Junior Alvarado, Steve Asmussen), 6-1
7 Scylla (Flavien Prat, Bill Mott), 5-2
8 My Mane Squeeze (Luis Saez, Mike Maker), 5-1
9 Hope Road (Jose Ortiz, Bob Baffert), 3-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
