Bob Baffert proud of third consecutive win in the Rebel Stakes
It takes a lot to win the Rebel Stakes for three consecutive year, but trainer Bob Baffert, who has produced brilliant 3-year-olds throughout his career did it again on 17 March, 2012, with his trusty colt, Secret Circle, and with the mission accomplished
done and dusted, Baffert feels it’s time to move on and concentrate on the matter at hand.
The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby next month at Oaklawn Park is on the cards, and Bob Baffert will again be represented by Secret Circle, who according to his trainer runs well over the Oaklawn Park track.
“He’s run well there and likes that track,” Baffert said March 18, referring to Secret Circle. “If everything is good over the next few weeks, we will definitely come back.”
The Arkansas Derby holds a massive purse of $1 million, and it will be run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on 14 April, 2012.
Baffert was so confident of Secret Circle winning the race that he altered his style of running in the all important $500,000 event. The son of Eddington was pegged back by his jockey in the early stages of the race, and with that strategy going further
back in distance it gave Secret Circle all the more to do in the final stages of the race.
However, the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes winner now has the Rebel Stakes under different schooling, but more importantly showing the world that he is a real talent.
Baffert is now focused on Castaway, who also won the division of the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, and the conditioner is looking to send his colt to the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.
“He keeps shutting it down too early,” he said. “He kind of pulls himself up and throws out an anchor. I thought he was just going to blow by (pacesetter Scatman), but he waited a little bit. We can fix that with competition and try and work that out of
him.”
Bob Baffert has had an amazing run at Oaklawn Park where he saddled 13 wins out of 21 starts there, but there will be more the way the veteran trainer is accumulating his wins at the Hot Springs.
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