Baffert Double Tough in Eight Belles

Much like in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) one day later, trainer Bob Baffert holds a double-tough hand in the $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs May 1 for 3-year-old fillies.

The Hall of Fame trainer, who will send out contenders Dortmund and American Pharoah in the Run for the Roses, will saddle grade I winner Callback and multiple stakes winner Enchanting Lady in the seven-furlong Eight Belles. Spendthrift Farm’s Callback took the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) two back, making her the lone grade I winner in the 12-horse field. Callback prevailed by a neck over Baffert-trainee Maybellene in the 1 1/16-mile Sunland Park Oaks in her most recent effort. She has won three of her last four.

Enchanting Lady, who like Dortmund is owned by Kaleem Shah, has won both the Landaluce Stakes and Santa Paula Stakes sprinting at Santa Anita Park. She will receive five pounds from her stablemate.

Promise Me Silver looms a threat, having posted seven consecutive victories to start her career. She has won at six different racetracks and will be making her first start at Churchill. Undefeated Promise Me Silver most recently won the Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Ekati's Phaeton will be making her first start for trainer Bill Mott. Her previous eight races came for conditioner Bill Kaplan in Florida, where she proved best in the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) and the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III). Along with Promise Me Silver, Enchanting Lady, and Callback, Ekati’s Phaeton has plenty of early speed and the early pace could be searing.

Taylor S is another who will be prominent early. She has two wins and a third from three starts under the Twin Spires and most recently took the Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Stakes winner Mizz Money switches back to the main tack after four straight turf tries that included three victories. She most recently ran unplaced behind champion Lady Eli in the Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland. She hasn’t won in two attempts on dirt.

Streetheart could be the one to benefit from the plethora of speed in the Eight Belles. She ran on from the back of the pack to win an allowance contest at Keeneland in April, and broke her maiden in her career debut at Churchill. She will be tested for class here.

Lavender Chrissie has won two of three career starts, and each by at least five lengths. She, too, broke her maiden at Churchill and most recently won an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream.

Scat Means Go is a maiden winner who ran third, three lengths behind Callback in the Sunland Park Oaks and appears to be on the improve. Fancy and Flashy was fourth in that race, two lengths back of Scat Means Go. Super Saks has finished well back in consecutive grade III starts at Oaklawn Park, and Jugni likewise has yet to prove herself able to handle stakes company.