Eight Rings Back on Track After Breeders' Cup Loss

Trainer Bob Baffert still doesn't have a handle on what went wrong with Eight Rings in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Yet he had a much better feeling about the son of Empire Maker  after the grade 1-winning 2-year-old worked for the first time since a sixth-place finish as a 3-2 second choice Nov. 1 at the World Championships.

With jockey Drayden Van Dyke aboard for the Nov. 19 drill, Eight Rings worked five furlongs in 1:02 3/5 over the same Santa Anita Park track where he prevailed in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) by six lengths but disappointed in the Breeders' Cup.

"He went nice and easy," Baffert said about a workout that was the 10th fastest of 16 timed at the five-furlong distance. "He wanted to work and Drayden said he felt great."

Baffert said if the $520,000 yearling buy continues to make progress in morning drills, he will likely run in the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 7 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

"We'll see how he works next week, but the Los Alamitos race is not out of the question," Baffert said.

While New York-based Hall of Famer John Velazquez rode Eight Rings in the Juvenile and American Pharoah, Baffert is leaning toward reuniting Van Dyke and Eight Rings in the Los Al Futurity, a race Baffert has won 11 times. He has captured the last five runnings of the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 2-year-olds, which was downgraded to grade 2 status this year.

Van Dyke was aboard Eight Rings when he posted a 6 1/4-length score in his Aug. 4 debut at Del Mar and returned Sept. 2 for the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) when Eight Rings veered in sharply at the start and unseated the rider as a 1-2 favorite.

"Drayden was coming off the spill and I wasn't comfortable using him for a while," Baffert said. "But he's back in the groove. I really like Drayden. I think he'll be fine."

Baffert said he still blames himself for Eight Rings' Juvenile run, where the colt was second much of the way but faded to sixth, 12 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Storm the Court.

"He didn't show up that day. I'm still upset at myself for not having him ready that day," Baffert said. "It's a head-scratcher. He's healthy and sound."

Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables,  Fred Hertrich, III, John Fielding, Golconda Stables, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, and Derrick Smith, Eight Rings was purchased for $520,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The son of the Pure Prize mare Purely Hot was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.

Baffert also listed Oct. 26 debut winner Thousand Words as a possibility for the Los Al Futurity. The Florida-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile is owned by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm and was purchased for $1 million from the Brookdale Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September sale.

Baoma Corporation's Bast, a grade 1 winner who was third in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), returned to the work tab Nov. 15 with a four-furlong drill in :48 1/5 at Santa Anita and is on target for the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1).

"She looks really good after a hard race," said Baffert, who is expected to put Van Dyke back on the 2-year-old Uncle Mo  filly. Bast was purchased by Baoma in 2018 for $500,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale.

The two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer is also considering Sarah Kelly and Jane Wiltz's Oct. 31 maiden special weight winner Gingham for the 1 1/16-mile Starlet for 2-year-old fillies, which is part of the Dec. 7 card at Los Alamitos.

The daughter of Quality Road  went to Kelly for $420,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale from Stone Farm's consignment.

Renovation work on Santa Anita's main track, which was scheduled for Nov. 18, was pushed back until after training on Nov. 25 due to fears of inclement weather.