DEL MAR – Trainer Bob Baffert celebrated his banner Saturday at the Breeders’ Cup by watching the end of the World Series in a private room at the Pamplemousse Grille.
“What a great day to be a lover of horse racing and baseball,” Baffert said Sunday. “The Breeders’ Cup is the best, our World Series. And that was a great World Series from start to finish. I can’t remember another more exciting World Series.”
And while Baffert has been known to wear Dodger Blue, he said this World Series was special regardless of who you favor.
“Both teams deserved to be world champions,” he said. “It was like I was watching Citizen Bull and Nysos coming to the wire again (in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile). I would have loved a dead heat. There were so many moments in that World Series.
“And what a great day for Japan. They watched Forever Young win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Sunday) morning (in Japan), then watched their baseball greats Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto star in the World Series. …
“It amazes me the skill and determination these players showed in the World Series. Unbelievable theater. How do you explain the Miguel Rojas home run to tie the game? My only disappointment: I couldn’t do all 18 innings that one night.”
As for the Breeders’ Cup: Baffert had two winners, three second-place finishes and two thirds over the two days. Baffert and Aidan O’Brien are now tied for the lead in Breeders’ Cup wins. Each has 21, one more than D. Wayne Lukas.
Baffert’s winners this year were Nysos in the Dirt Mile (by nostrils over Citizen Bull) and Splendora in the Filly and Mars Sprint. Second-place finishes were turned in by Citizen Bull, Explora (Juvenile Fillies) and Imagination (Sprint). The third-place finishes were by Brant (Juvenile) and Hope Road (Filly and Mare Sprint).
“Citizen Bull had the best performance of his life,” said Baffert. “I really wanted it for both him and Nysos.
Fatality
The 4-year-old She’s Quality was euthanized early Sunday after suffering a fractured pelvis early in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. She’s Quality was eased in the race and removed from the track by the equine ambulance and transported to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital.
“She received the best possible care and appeared to be stable in the initial hours after,” said trainer Jack Davison. “However, her condition declined overnight, and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her.
“We are utterly devastated at her passing. She was a high-class filly and she took us all on an amazing journey. Although this is a very sad ending, I would like to thank all of my staff for taking great care of her over the past three years. We are a small, tight-knit yard and we will miss her terribly.”
The daughter of Acclamation had finished third in the Prix de l’Abbaye on her penultimate start and had four wins in 24 career starts with 12 finishes in the money.
It was the second fatality of the opening weekend of the Bing Crosby meeting. The 5-year-old mare Esmeray died from an injury suffered in Del Mar’s fifth race Thursday. Esmeray had 17 races in her career and four first-place finishes.
In the spotlight
The two-day Breeders’ Cup drew 65,232 spectators to Del Mar with a total wagering handle of $180,036,799 — the third-highest total in the 43-year history of the event.
It was Del Mar’s fourth Breeders’ Cup in nine years and the track’s second straight.
“It’s time for us to pass the torch to Kentucky and New York for the next two years,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club president Josh Rubinstein. “I think we made a very strong case for the event to return here pretty soon.
“It was a really big win for San Diego as hotels and restaurants were full. On the track, we had a nice balance of international and domestic winners with a strong showing, three wins, by California horses.”
Notable
Jockey Flavien Prat, who rode both of Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup winners Saturday, returned to Aqueduct Sunday and set a New York Racing Association record with seven wins in one day, including six in a row.
• Jockey Umberto Rispoli scored three wins at Del Mar Sunday with Final Edition ($6.80) in the first, Ballyhooligan ($3.40) in the fourth and Balnikhov ($6.20) in the seventh. Juan Hernandez had two winners – favorites Bacio ($3.80) in the fifth and Flyover ($4.20) in the ninth.
Racing resumes on Friday with a first post of 12:30 p.m.