Baffert Points Uncle Chuck to Travers

Trainer Bob Baffert has settled on plans for several of his grade 1 starters and will be sending both Uncle Chuck and Gamine to New York next week for major 3-year-old stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

The undefeated Uncle Chuck will be heading east to run in the $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) while Gamine will be entered in the $300,000 Longines Test Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies. Both races will be part of the Aug. 8 card at the Spa.

Meanwhile, Baffert said 2019 3-year-old champion Maximum Security came out of his narrow victory in the July 25 San Diego Handicap (G2) in great shape and will be staying on the West Coast to run in the $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic (G1) Aug. 22 at Del Mar.

Baffert had entered Uncle Chuck in the Aug. 1 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, but instead will work one more time before heading to New York for the 1 1/4-mile Midsummer Derby, where he is expected to face Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Tiz the Law.

"Uncle Chuck will go to the Travers," Baffert said in a July 28 telephone call from California. "I entered him here (in the Shared Belief) as an insurance policy in case something changes on the East Coast."

For Uncle Chuck, a son of Uncle Mo  owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, the Travers will be just his third career start and first appearance both in a grade 1 stakes and at 10 furlongs. He won the 1 1/8-mile Los Alamitos Derby (G3) by four lengths in his last start.

"I think it's a good spot. If we're going to try him out in that company let's try him out there," Baffert said, adding that Luis Saez will ride Uncle Chuck in the Travers.

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine will come into the Test off a dazzling 18 3/4-length romp in the Longines Acorn Stakes (G1) June 20 at Belmont Park. In three career starts, the daughter of Into Mischief  has crossed the finish line first each time but was disqualified from a May 2 allowance optional claiming win at Oaklawn Park after post-race testing found traces of lidocaine in her system. 

Maximum Security had to work harder than his 2-5 odds indicated, but prevailed by a nose over Midcourt in the San Diego while carrying 127 pounds. The race was the first for the nearly $11.9 million earner in five months since the Saudi Cup and in Baffert's estimation, it put him on his toes for his upcoming campaign.

"Luckily I had him pretty tight. I knew he was going to have a tough race. The track is really deep and demanding, but now he's jumping out of his skin. He's ready to run," said Baffert, who took over as Maximum Security's trainer following the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup after original trainer Jason Servis was indicted in March on federal race-doping charges. "He looks great. He's bright eyed. It woke him up."

Though Baffert had originally mentioned the Sept. 5 Woodward Handicap (G1) at Saratoga as a possibility for the homebred son of New Year's Day, Maximum Security will be staying on the West Coast.

"He'll be running in the Pacific Classic," Baffert said about the colt owned by Gary and Mary West and the Coolmore team of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

After Maximum Security chased the early pace under Abel Cedillo and then dropped back to third after the opening half-mile in the San Diego, don't be surprised to see Maximum Security on the front end the 10-furlong Pacific Classic.

"(Cedillo) went to the rail too early, but luckily he was riding the best horse in the world, and he got out of it. That shows you just how good of a horse 'Max' is," Baffert said. "He wants to be on the lead. When I put him behind horses in works, he doesn't like it, but that's how I got him fit. He's comfortable on the lead."

For Gary West, given all of the circumstances, the San Diego was "a great race" for his 4-year-old. 

"I thought 'Max' was beat at the quarter pole, and he had every reason to quit with the trip he had," West said. "He will be a much better horse in the Pacific Classic."