Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern went to
the track Saturday morning for a final workout as a 3-year-old in preparation
for his 2015 debut.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Bayern worked four furlongs at Santa Anita in 47.80
seconds with his regular rider Martin Garcia in the saddle.
“He went nice,” the Hall of Fame trainer said of Bayern, who worked without
blinkers. “I took the blinkers off so he could work slower, so that was good,
but I’ll put them back on when he runs.”
Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bayern is likely to begin his 4-year-old season in
the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. The Horse of the
Year contender may well take on Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California
Chrome and 2013 Eclipse Award winner Shared Belief in the 1 1/8-mile stakes.
“I haven’t really decided on his next race. I’m just getting him ready. The
Dubai race (World Cup on March 28) is being considered. That’s why I didn’t
run him in the Malibu,’ Baffert noted. “But the Meydan track in Dubai now is
totally different.
“I’ve got to see how it plays once they start running there. With the new
dirt, you don’t know what’s going to happen. I won’t make the decision (on
Bayern’s next race) until I have to.”
Bayern, who did not start as a 2-year-old, won six of 10 races in 2014 with
wins in the Woody Stephens, Haskell and Pennsylvania Derby, as well as the
Classic. The colt has earned $4,389,680.
