Irad Ortiz, Jr., Flavien Prat set for busy Breeders’ Cup
It’s not often Bob Baffert is an afterthought when it comes to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
On Saturday, the Hall of Fame trainer will send out 20-1 longshot Newgate in the 1 ¼-mile Classic on his home course at Del Mar.
Baffert leads all trainers with four Classic victories – Authentic in 2020, Arrogate in 2016, Triple Crown champion American Pharoah in 2015, and Bayern in 2014.
All four won as 3-year-olds, and none of them went off at odds of 6-1 or higher.
Newgate, a 4-year-old, comes into the Classic off a close third-place finish in the California Crown (G1) on Sept. 20 at Santa Anita. The Into Mischief colt fired a bullet 5-furlong workout in 58.40 seconds on Oct. 27.
“You want to have a horse that brings his ‘A’ game,” Baffert said.
Baffert was OK with Newgate’s first start since a clunker ninth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 30. In a three-horse photo, he was head back in third behind Subsandor and stablemate National Treasure.
Newgate will be ridden by Frankie Dettori leaving from post 13. With one win in five starts in 2024 (the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap with Dettori up), he’ll be up against the likes of 5-2 favorite City of Troy, 3-1 second choice Fierceness, and 6-1 Forever Young.
“We just had to draw a line through Dubai,” Tom Ryan, the Racing Manager of SF Racing, part of Newgate’s ownership group, said. “Physically, mentally and pedigree wise, he has all the attributes a Classic horse should have, “We are excited to have him here. And he is here, fit and healthy, and touting himself on the track in the mornings. We are excited.”
As might be expected, Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown lead New York-based trainers with Breeders’ Cup entries: Brown has nine, Pletcher eight.
Irad Ortiz, Jr., the nation’s leading rider, and Flavien Prat have the most mounts of mostly New York-based jockeys. Ortiz is listed on 13 horses, Prat 12.
Brown: Virgin Colada [BC Juvenile Fillies Turf], Chancer McPatrick [Juvenile], Zulu Kingdom [Juvenile Turf], Ways and Means [Filly & Mare Sprint], Raging Sea [Distaff], Sierra Leone [Classic], Domestic Product [Dirt Mile], Carl Spackler [Mile], Chili Flag [Mile].
Pletcher: Gate to Wire [Juvenile Turf Sprint], Mentee [Juvenile Turf], Noble Confessor [Juvenile Turf], Tenacious Leader [Juvenile Turf], Candied [Distaff], Grand Sonata [Turf], Fierceness [Classic], Tapit Trice [Classic].
Ortiz is listed to ride Gate to Wire [Juvenile Turf Sprint], Vodka With a Twist [Juvenile Fillies], [also-eligible, Juvenile Fillies Turf], Gaming [Juvenile], Tenacious Leader [Juvenile Turf], Vahva [Filly & Mare Sprint], Cogburn [Turf Sprint], Candied [Distaff], Tapit Trice [Classic], Full Count Felicia [Filly & Mare Turf], Federal Judge [Sprint], Chili Flag [Mile], and Skippylongstocking [Dirt Mile].
Prat is listed to ride Nooni [Juvenile Fillies], Virgin Colada [Juvenile Fillies Turf], Chancer McPatrick [Juvenile], Zulu Kingdom [Juvenile Turf]. Ways and Means [Filly & Mare Sprint], Howard Wolowitz [Turf Sprint], Raging Sea [Distaff], Sierra Leone [Classic], Mullikin [Sprint], Goliad [Mile], Domestic Product [Dirt Mile], Moira [Filly & Mare Turf].
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.
