Bodemeister needs to win in March for Baffert to be part of the Triple Crown
In order to get a Kentucky Derby spot for the maiden special weight winning 3-year-old colt, Bodemeister, the connections would have to gain significant graded stakes entries, but his trainer Bob Baffert doesn’t see it as an issue, and he is confident that
the Zayat Stables owned colt will earn much for a spot in the first leg of the Triple Crown.
“If he runs back like he did, I don’t think it will be a problem,” he said.
The Virginia bred son of Empire Maker, out of mare Untouched Talent by Storm Cat, Bodemeister failed to make an impact in his debut race at Santa Anita Park over the venue’s dirt course. He was to down the distance of five and a half furlongs on 16 January,
2012, under Rafael Bejarano, but failed to do so as, American Art, beat Bodemeister to it by covering the distance ahead of him in 1 minute and 2.39 seconds.
However, the defeat didn’t dent Bodemeister’s confidence as he bounced back to win an impressive maiden race, where he led throughout the 1 mile maiden for 3-year-olds, and downed Welter Weight by a staggering margin of 9 ¼ lengths under jockey Rafael Bejarano.
Bodemeister is being considered for his first stakes race appearance in March, but the race and date have yet be finalized.
Trainer Bob Baffert’s string is oozing with 3-year-old colts Triple Crown hopefuls, and what he doesn’t want is to run his horses in the same races. For that Baffert would have to use the current Santa Anita meet’s stakes races wisely, and find spots for
his runners at Oaklawn Park as well, but he would have to be careful not to exhaust these races with his large contingent of 3-year-old runners.
“I’ll have to give extra time and run him back in March somewhere,” Baffert said. “I’ll have to find a spot.”
There are plenty of races for, Bodemeister at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, and Baffert would be looking at something like San Felipe Stakes with a purse of $300,000 at about 1 1/16 miles, which is prep for the Grade 1 $750,000 Santa Anita
Handicap.
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