DID I SAY THAT I LOVE TWO-YEAR-OLD RACES?

OH BOY, DO I EVER?



According to Brad Free of the DRF, trainer Bob Baffert has a stranglehold on California 2-year-old racing, particularly the summer meet at Del Mar.


Baffert's 2025 juvenile roster includes at least two dozen colts purchased at auction for roughly $18 million total, with more than a dozen fillies purchased for $5 million total.

Summer prospects for Baffert include Brant, a Gun Runner colt whose $3 million auction price is the year's highest for a 2-year-old.

Brant is up to a half-mile in works since June 2 [4f, June 2nd, in 48.20 (h) finishing 15/54.]

Brant has been on a steady work regiment since mid-April for trainer Bob Baffert.



OF ALL OF BAFFERT'S JUVENILES I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT BRANT A LOT!

I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING BRANT SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR -- THAT'S HOW ATTACHED I AM TO BRANT!



At the under-tack show prior to the sale, Brant blazed an eighth of a mile in 9.60 seconds to command top dollar ($3 million).

He is out of the winning Liam's Map mare Tynan, a half-sister to graded stakes winners Pappacap and Boppy O.

Pappacap won the Best Pal (Gr II) in 2021, fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (Gr I) in 2021, 2nd in the American Pharoah and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2021, fourth in the Florida Derby in 2022, second in both the Pat Day Mile and the Woody Stephens in 2022.

Works at Del Mar:

Brant worked 4f, July 13th, in 46.60 (hg) finishing 2/115
Brant worked 4f, July 7th, in 47.80 (h) finishing 12/92
Brant worked 4f, June 30th, in 47.20 (h) finishing 6/59
Brant worked 5f, June 23rd, in 1:00.80 (h) finishing 11/33



Works at Santa Anita:

Brant worked 4f, June 14th, in 49.00 (h) finishing 40/83
Brant worked 4f, June 9th, in 49.60 (h) finishing 45/69
Brant worked 4f, June 2nd, in 48.20 (h) finishing 15/54
Brant worked 5f, May 26th, in 1:01.40 (hg) finishing 11/18
Brant worked 3f, May 3rd, in 38.60 (h) finishing 19/22
Brant worked 3f, Apr 25th, in 37.20 (h) finishing 4/6
Brant worked 3f, Apr 18th, in 37.80 (h) finishing 7/8
Brant worked 2f, Apr 11th, in 24.20 (h) finishing 1/3
Brant worked 2f, Apr 4th, in 24.80 (h)



As of July 13, 2025, this guy has 13 (fast) workouts already, and I'm very excited about this two-year-old -- and I can't wait to see him hitting the racetrack competing, perhaps as soon as July 26 [Del Mar's first dirt race for 2-year-old males.].



BRING IT ON!!!



Other Baffert juveniles purchased for $1 million or more include an unnamed Violence-A Taste of Red colt; an unnamed Tiz the Law-Taboo colt who is working well; and Cherokee Nation, by Not This Time. All are training up to a half-mile.

Million-dollar colts for later include Inauguration, by Nyquist, and Stellenbosch, by Tapit.

Additionally, Balboa, a Not This Time colt, has posted fast work times; Falcon Jet is a colt by Justify; an unnamed Omaha Beach-Reason colt has worked five furlongs from the gate; and St. Petersburg raced greenly in his third-place debut and should improve.

Fillies trained by Baffert include Cherry Cider, a fast-working Tiz the Law product who could make her debut July 19, and Dainey, another Tiz the Law daughter who has worked well and appears to ready to start. Bottle of Rouge finished second in her debut and could make her second start soon.


Stay tuned!