Trainer Bob Baffert holds the Santa Anita Park record with five winners on a single card, but he only had starters in four races Jan. 4. The next day, he began mapping out plans for the four winners, which included two highly regarded 3-year-olds in Barnes and Rodriguez , along with older horse Mirahmadi and the Chilean filly Richi .
“I thought I had a great shot to win four races, but we had to get lucky,” reflected Baffert. “I’ve thought that before and I’ve been lucky to get one or instead I got a donut. We got great rides yesterday and good racing luck. It was great to win for these clients who continue to support us and it really raises the morale of all the people who work so hard in the barn.
“I was happy with Barnes. (Owner) Amr (Zedan) had to stretch to buy him, and I really made him stretch, but he’s a very good horse. We’re going to nominate everywhere and take a look. Citizen Bull (a leading contender for the 2-year-old Male Eclipse Award) and a couple of the others will point for the Robert B. Lewis here on February 1.”
Barnes, who was named after Baffert’s longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, was purchased by Zedan for $3.2 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. Baffert suggested to Zedan that they name the horse in Barnes’ honor after the assistant trainer told Baffert they better find a good name for the horse because he was training so well. He didn’t tell Barnes about the name until one day he handed him a halter with the name plate already engraved and gave it to the assistant to put on the colt.
“Rodriguez was very impressive going two turns and he showed us what we expected. Mirahmadi has always been a good horse, but he’s had some tough luck. He’ll point to the Big ‘Cap (on March 1).”
Baffert won the 2024 Santa Anita Handicap with Newgate for the same ownership group as Citizen Bull, Rodriguez and Mirahmadi. The partnership is known as the Avengers and consists primarily of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Tom Ryan, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. Determined Stables appears on the ownership line of Rodriguez as well.
Richi, a Chilean-bred daughter of Practical Joke now owned by John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale and Stud Vendaval, was making her second start in the United States. The win came over the Baffert-trained Pleasant , who was sent off as the 1-5 favorite.
“Richi will be pointed for the Beholder Mile. She should stretch out fine. Pleasant was just a little rusty, but she’ll stick around here,” said Baffert.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
