Bayern Exits Classic Victory in Good Order; Dubai World Cup Could Be Next Goal
Toast of New York (white silks) finished a close 2nd to Bayern in the 2014 BC Classic
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert reported that all of his Breeders’ Cup starters came out of their races in good order, but all of the buzz was about Bayern, who delivered Baffert his 11th Breeders’ Cup victory and his first in the Classic in 13 tries dating back to 1998.
“I have never seen so much animosity over a horse race,” Baffert said. “It seems like people forgot how to watch a race.”
Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bayern broke inward at the start starting a chain reaction that prompted a steward’s inquiry.
“If the stewards had not posted the inquiry, there would not have been one,” Baffert said. “Mike Smith (who rode Shared Belief) wasn’t going to (claim foul). He said all the trouble happened a little later when the 9 (Toast of New York) came over and by that time, my horse was already gone.”
Under Martin Garcia, Bayern led all the way to prevail by a nose over Toast of New York with California Chrome another neck back, completing the 1 1/4m in 1:59 4/5.
“The sad part about all of this is that it distracts from what he did yesterday,” Baffert said. “It’s not like he is a fluke. He can do it all and he’s a fighter. You could tell he was not going to let that other horse (Toast of New York) by.”
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Saturday’s events were all part of the game to Baffert.
“You just have to have racing luck,” Baffert said. “Game On Dude never got a trip (in the past two Classics) like Bayern got yesterday. I wish he had gotten them. You are not going to win without racing luck.
“At the Preakness, Ria Antonia got us right out of the gate, but I didn’t cry about it. That’s just racing.”
The ninth-place finish in the Preakness and a 10th-place finish in the Travers are the only off-the board finishes for Bayern, who did not debut until Jan. 4 this year.
“After he won the Haskell, when he got back to Del Mar he missed five days of training and I probably shouldn’t have gone to Saratoga (Travers),” Baffert said.
“When he is right, he is poison out of the gate. He’s like a Quarter Horse. He’s brilliant; he’s so fast. He can win going six (furlongs), seven, a mile, a mile and a quarter.”
Shah was happy with the Classic victory.
“I just wish it would have come without all the controversy,” Shah said. “If he is healthy, I would like (to take a shot at) the Dubai World Cup. When Bob tells me he is ready to roll, we roll. As long as he stays healthy and sound, he’ll run at 4, 5 and 6.”
