Charlatan Returns With Dazzling Malibu Victory

When SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables joined forces in a partnership dubbed "The Avengers" and bought a package of 24 yearlings in 2018, they came away with a colt who would eventually win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in Authentic .

Yet even though he wound up with a classic victory to his credit and likely year-end honors as Horse of the Year are awaiting him next month, Authentic was not considered the most talented runner from that group of yearlings trained by Bob Baffert.

That role originally went to Charlatan, who won his first two starts by a combined 16 lengths and then romped by six lengths in a division of the Arkansas Derby (G1).

Then the rollercoaster ride began. First Charlatan was disqualified from his victory in the May 2 Arkansas Derby because of a positive drug test. Then the son of Speightstown  suffered an ankle injury that knocked him off the Triple Crown trail and set the stage for Authentic to assume the spotlight as he faded into the background.

It took Charlatan nearly eight months to return to the races, but when he did, he brought his career full circle and reminded everyone of why he created such a fuss earlier in the year.

Showing no rust at all from the layoff, Charlatan turned what was billed as an exciting showdown with Nashville into a dazzling solo performance as he drew away in the stretch to post an impressive 4 1/2-length victory in the $300,500 Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

"Bob had him ready to run," said Jack Wolf, the CEO and managing partner of Starlight Racing. "He told us he was the best horse of the bunch and today he showed he's as brilliant as they come."

For Baffert, the victory was a huge relief as it not only atoned for the disqualification in the Arkansas Derby and tacked several million dollars back onto the owners' stud deal with Hill 'n' Dale for the colt through the grade 1 win. It also backed up all of the high praise for Charlatan and gave the connections a major player in the scramble for the rich stakes awaiting older horses in 2021.

"I feel like a 500-pound gorilla is off my back," Baffert said. "He picked up where he left off. Every one of his races has been a 'wow' performance. Sometimes we forget how fast these horses are, but he's always been the brilliant one. The kind of brilliance you find in a horse like him is hard to come by."

Off Saturday's race, Baffert has some ritzy decisions to make. Based on his latest victory and performance in the Arkansas Derby, two turns should pose no problem for Charlatan, putting him at the center of the mix for either the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), Saudi Cup, or Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), a trio of races worth a combined $35 million.

"He came back like he wasn't tired," Baffert said. "We'll try to keep him happy and see where we go."

The victory was the third in four career starts for Charlatan, who was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings out of the Quiet American mare Authenticity and purchased for $700,000 from the Denali Stud consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables joining the ownership group, Charlatan was from the first of three crops of yearlings bought by "The Avengers."

"It was an incredible first crop," said Sol Kumin, head of the Madaket Stables group. "Spielberg (now a 2-year-old) won a big race for us (the Los Alamitos Futurity, G2) from the second crop and we have a few more in there we are excited about. We bought more horses in the third crop than the first two, I believe 32. We're excited about the next few years. We found a formula that works and we hope we can continue to execute the plan."

The previously undefeated Nashville, owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm and trained by Steve Asmussen, was the favorite and the buzz horse in the Malibu off an eye-opening 3 1/2-length win in the Perryville Stakes on the Breeders' Cup undercard.

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field off six, the Malibu unfolded as expected with Nashville ahead by a length over Charlatan after an opening quarter-mile in :21.81.

But the duel between the two sons of Speightstown was over after five furlongs as Charlatan ($5.20) and jockey Mike Smith moved past Nashville leaving the quarter pole and pulled away with ease to cover the seven furlongs in 1:21.50 on the fast track.

As Nashville tired in the final furlong and wound up fourth, C R K Stables' Express Train, a son of Union Rags , took second by a half-length over Dan Agnew, Jerry Schneider, Rodney Orr, and MyRacehorse.com's Collusion Illusion, a Twirling Candy  colt.

For Baffert, the Malibu was his 16th grade 1 win in a year filled with highs and lows.

"It's one of the best years I've ever had," said the Hall of Famer whose horses have earned more than $18 million but had horses embroiled in four drug violations that he categorized as happening due to contamination. "I have some great owners who stuck behind me. This was a very satisfying way to end the year."

Video: RUNHAPPY Malibu S. (G1)