Cave Rock Tops Four Baffert Runners in American Pharoah

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Photo: Benoit Photo
Cave Rock wins the Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar

Only two from the seven-furlong Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) have returned for the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park Oct. 8. Winner Cave Rock  and third-place Skinner  will meet six newcomers in the American Pharoah.

The $300,000 American Pharoah is a "Win and You're In" race that offers an automatic berth to the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Five horses have won both races—Chief's Crown  in 1984, the first year of the Breeders' Cup; Capote  in 1986; Nyquist   in 2015; Game Winner   in 2018; and Corniche   in 2021.

Bob Baffert, who trains Cave Rock and three other entrants, has won the American Pharoah a record 10 times, including with Game Winner and Corniche. One of those victories came with American Pharoah in 2014, when the race was called the FrontRunner. American Pharoah missed the Breeders' Cup Juvenile due to a foot issue and won the following year's Triple Crown. The race was renamed for American Pharoah in 2018.

Cave Rock would appear to have the best chance, especially considering that he comes from the red-hot ownership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Not only did that partnership lead all owners at Del Mar, but during Santa Anita's opening weekend they won the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) with Defunded , the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) with Midnight Memories , and the Speakeasy Stakes with Speed Boat Beach .

"We're on a roll—we had a great Del Mar," said Pegram.

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They won nine races during the Del Mar meeting, two of them with Cave Rock. He debuted Aug. 13 with a six-length maiden score as the 6-5 favorite and was bet down to 2-5 when best by 5 1/4 lengths in the Del Mar Futurity. 


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Those races also contributed to Juan Hernandez leading all jockeys and Baffert tying for the title with Phil D'Amato among trainers at Del Mar. Hernandez will be back aboard Cave Rock from post 5.

Pegram, Watson, and Weitman bought Cave Rock for $550,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Anne and Ronnie Sheffer Racing bred the son of Arrogate Georgie's Angel , by Bellamy Road , in Kentucky.

Cave Rock worked five furlongs in 1:00 at Santa Anita Oct. 1, prompting Baffert to remark that "everything went smooth."

Baffert has also entered Gandolfini , National Treasure , and Hejazi  in the American Pharoah. While Hejazi is the only non-winner among the quartet, his sale price makes him intriguing.

A son of Bernardini G Note , by Medaglia d'Oro  , Hejazi topped this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at $3,550,000, a record. The second-highest price at the sale was $725,000. Gary Young purchased Hejazi for Zedan Racing Stables from Sequel Bloodstock, who consigned him as agent for breeders Chester and Mary Broman.

Favored in two maiden races at Del Mar and ridden by Mike Smith, Hejazi finished second in both, the second time to Speed Boat Beach, who broke the track record that afternoon. Hejazi and Cave Rock are the fastest colts in the American Pharoah based on last-race speed figures.

Smith sticks with Hejazi, who drew the outside post.

Gandolfini and National Treasure have each won their only starts. Both race for a large partnership headed by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, the trio that bought the colts at The Saratoga Sale at Fasig-Tipton in 2021. Gandolfini, a son of Baffert-trained Triple Crown winner Justify  , cost $470,000, and National Treasure, a son of Quality Road  , cost $500,000.

Baffert named Edwin Maldonado, who won aboard Defunded, on Gandolfini (post 1) and Ramon Vazquez, who won aboard Midnight Memories, on National Treasure (post 6). National Treasure races with blinkers off.

John Shirreffs, who won the 2016 edition of the American Pharoah with Gormley  , trains Skinner for Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable. Though still a maiden after encountering trouble in his debut, Skinner ran last early in the Del Mar Futurity and closed to finish third. As a son of Curlin  , Skinner may appreciate the additional distance of the American Pharoah.

Victor Espinoza, who piloted Skinner in the Del Mar Futurity, returns from post 7.

Man Child  has made two of his three starts at Los Alamitos, winning in his debut July 3 and running third in the Sept. 25 Capote Stakes. In between at Del Mar, he became graded stakes-placed, finishing third in the Aug. 14 Best Pal Stakes (G3). 

Ryan Hanson trains Man Child, a son of Creative Cause  , and co-owns him with several partners. Hector Berrios, aboard Man Child in the Capote, will pilot Man Child from post 2.

Doug O'Neill, who trained Nyquist to win the American Pharoah—then the FrontRunner—in 2015 and Bond Holder  to win it in 2013, will saddle Calumet Farm's Odonata  (Abel Cedillo, post 4). A son of Laoban , Odonata has run third, fourth, and second (while bumped) in his three starts.

Macnamara  (Tyler Baze, post 3) broke his maiden in his second start for a $50,000 claiming price Sept. 25 at Los Alamitos. Jeff Engler trains the son of Union Rags   for owner Daniel Wells.


Entries: American Pharoah S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 08, 2022, Race 8

  • Grade I
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $300,000
  • 2 yo
  • 4:38 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Gandolfini (NY) Edwin A. Maldonado 122 Bob Baffert 12/1
2 2Man Child (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Hector Isaac Berrios 122 Ryan Hanson 30/1
3 3Macnamara (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Baze 122 Jeff Engler 50/1
4 4Odonata (NY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Abel Cedillo 122 Doug F. O'Neill 20/1
5 5Cave Rock (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Juan J. Hernandez 122 Bob Baffert 4/5
6 6National Treasure (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Bob Baffert 6/1
7 7Skinner (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Victor Espinoza 122 John A. Shirreffs 5/1
8 8Hejazi (NY) Mike E. Smith 122 Bob Baffert 5/2