Bayern Cruises to Pennsylvania Derby Win

Bayern seized a half-length lead through a half-mile in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) Sept. 20 at Parx Racing and drew off in the stretch for an easy, record-setting victory, spoiling the comeback of two-time classic winner California Chrome .

After an off-the-board finish in the Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 23 at Saratoga Race Course, Kaleem Shah's Bayern returned to the form that saw him win the William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I) two starts back at Monmouth Park. Turning for home, Bayern opened on the field and was never threatened in the stretch, posting a 5 3/4-length victory. 

Trained by Racing Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Bayern and jockey Martin Garcia completed the 1 1/8-mile test in track record time of 1:46.96. His combined margin of victory in the Pennsylvania Derby and Haskell is 13 lengths.



"That was just a powerful performance," Baffert said. "He broke well and they let us go and [jockey] Martin [Garcia] hustled to get away from California Chrome."



On Saturday, Bayern quickly seized the lead and coasted through a quarter-mile in :24.07 and held a half-length advantage on C J's Awesome through a half-mile in :47.89. In the turn and through the stretch, Bayern and Garcia would only add to that advantage.

While Bayern cruised on the front end, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin's homebred California Chrome was bottled up turning for home and faded to sixth in the stretch. Making his first start since finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), 4-5 favorite California Chrome raced in third throughout most of the race, saving ground along the rail for jockey Victor Espinoza.



"When California Chrome was pinned in there, I knew it was going be tough for California Chrome," Baffert said. "He was the target; we weren't the target. When Bayern runs like that, nobody's going to beat him. Like in the Haskell."

California Chrome had not started in more than three months going into the Pennsylvania Derby, which marked the longest career break of the oft-running son of Lucky Pulpit  . California Chrome's career began with a runner-up finish against other California-breds in an April 26, 2012 maiden race at Betfair Hollywood Park.



On Saturday, Espinoza said he was bottled up throughout after breaking fron post one.



"The other riders, they worried about me, they didn't worry about the one in the front [winner Bayern], and I knew I was in trouble in the first turn," Espinoza said. "They were like blocking in front of me, and it was hard to catch the other horse. Sometimes the other ones don't ride to win, they ride to beat horses. But, I really didn't abuse him too much today. I just let him run his race. I didn't want to override him. He had a long time off. This race, it set it up for the next one."



California Chrome's trainer Art Sherman said despite the off-the-board finish, they still plan to target the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.

Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred Tapiture, who entered off a narrow victory in the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) finished second. C R K Stable's Candy Boy, who was just edged by Tapiture in the West Virginia Derby, and was just edged by that rival again, finishing a head behind him in third.

Bayern, second-choice at the windows, returned $9 to win, $3.60 to place, and $4 to show. Tapiture returned $5.80 and $4 while Candy Boy returned $4.20.

Bred in Kentucky by Helen Alexander, Bayern has won five of nine starts, all this year, and has earned $1,639,680. The Pennsylvania Derby marked his third graded stakes win since June 7. Bayern is out of the unraced Thunder Gulch   mare Alittlebitearly, who has produced three winners from as many starters. 

Bayern was a $320,000 purchase at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2-year-olds in training sale from the Eddie Woods consignment. He is the first grade I winner for his dam, who has produced three winners in as many starters.