SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina with Hope Road, will seek another Saratoga Grade 1 victory when he sends Buetane cross-country for a start in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on Sept. 1.
Buetane, a 2-year-old son of Tiz the Law, won his maiden at first asking at Del Mar on Aug 3, winning a six-furlong race by 3 1/2 lengths and earning an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. Buetane, who brought $1.15 million at the OBS April 2-year-old-in-training sale, is owned by Amr Zedan, who also owns impressive first-out winner Brant, who Baffert is pointing to the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7.
“He’s always shown a lot of promise since the day we bought him,” Baffert said of Buetane. “He’s still immature, learning, we’ll give him a trip there and see how he handles it.”
On Sunday, at Del Mar, Buetane worked five furlongs in 58.40 seconds, the fastest of 91 drills at the distance. He is scheduled to ship on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Baffert said Hope Road came out of her victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina in good order and was to ship back to Southern California this week. Baffert said he most likely will train Hope Road up to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. She won the Ballerina off a 90-day layoff.
“I probably won’t run before the Breeders’ Cup, these fillies, they like to freshen up,” Baffert said. “She got mission accomplished. She was doing great, won the Ballerina, the owners [Barbara and Ron Perry] got a big charge out of it.”
Baffert won the 2018 Ballerina with Marley’s Freedom, the mother of Hope Road. Hope Road earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for her Ballerina win.
While Baffert won the Ballerina, his trio of 3-year-old sprinters Barnes, Madaket Road, and Midland Money finished third, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens won by Patch Adams.
Baffert said Barnes “didn’t get away great, he didn’t get a clean trip, he’s a big horse it’s tough to get going again. At least, he’s coming back to form.”
Madaket Road was unsuccessful trying to rate from his outside draw. Midland Money, making his third career start, was making his stakes debut in a tough spot while coming off a huge comeback effort.
“They all came out well, nothing planned for them right now,” Baffert said.
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