Now that Bob Baffert has his 3-year-olds back in his care, there’s no telling how many victories the Hall of Fame trainer will pile up over the summer.
He won a record-extending eighth Preakness (G1) with National Treasure on May 20, then won the Dwyer (G3) with Fort Bragg on July 1. Next up is Reincarnate running in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby on Saturday as the slight 7-5 favorite over Skinner in a field of six.
Baffert, of course, has been in the news this week after Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) added another year to the two-year ban it issued in 2021, meaning the six-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will miss a third straight Derby. Baffert is unhappy with the surprise announcement, but he moves forward.
He was first suspended by CDI after Medina Spirit finished first in the 2021 Derby but was disqualified after testing positive for a banned race-day medication.
A bunch of Baffert’s 3-year-olds were transferred to his former assistant Tim Yakteen after the ban in a bid to earn enough Derby qualifying points to get into the Run for the Roses this year. Reincarnate was one of them.
The gray son of Good Magic won the Sham (G3) for Baffert, then finished third in the Rebel (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) for Yakteen to make the Derby field. He ran 13th, was returned to Baffert’s barn and is ready for his first start since. His most recent workout was 6 furlongs in 1:11.40 at Santa Anita on July 1.
The 1 1/8-mile race goes off at 8:13 p.m. ET, with jockey Juan Hernandez getting the call leaving from post 2.
Also in the field is Skinner, the third-place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 8, but was scratched prior to his last two scheduled starts – the Kentucky Derby (fever) and the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 4 because trainer John Shirreffs did not like the way he was galloping days before the race. Skinner is the 8-5 second choice. Sheriffs also sends out Smart Mo.
Baffert is just warming up for the season. He’s looking at the $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth on July 22 – a race he’s won a record nine times (in the past 21 years), the Jim Dandy (G2) on July 29 at Saratoga, which opens its 40-day meet on July 13, the $1.25 million Travers (G1) on Aug, 26, and the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Sept. 3, among others.
To recap, among Baffert’s 3-year-olds are National Treasure, Fort Bragg, Reincarnate, and Arabian Knight, who won the Southwest (G3) in January, and has been in training for a start at some point.
The picks: Reincarnate, Skinner, Prince Abu Dhabi.
The field, from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Yellow Brick (Hector Berrios, Richard Mandella), 8-1
2 Reincarnate (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert), 7-5
3 Skinner (Mike Smith, John Shirreffs), 8-5
4 Prince Abu Dhabi (Alex Chavez, Blaine Wright), 8-1
5 Smart Mo (Joe Bravo, John Shirreffs), 15-1
6 Abeliefinthislivin (Ramon Vazquez), 15-1
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.
