Hot SPRINGS, ARKANSAS – Big favorite Newgrange, inside the first competition exterior Ca, originated in off the speed below Hallway out-of Magnificence jockey John Velazquez in order to get a-1 ?-duration win on $750,100 Southwestern Stakes (G3) getting 3-year-olds to stay unbeaten inside around three lives initiate.
It was a record-attaching 5th Southwest winnings for Hall of Glory teacher Bob Baffert and his eighteenth full within the Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby preparing show – the because the 2010. Newgrange was leaving a front-running dos ?-size earn over stablemate Rockefeller from the $one hundred,one hundred thousand Sham Limits (G3) The month of january. 1 during the Santa Anita.
Whilst the Sham and Southwestern given 17 facts (10-4-2-step 1, respectively) to the top five finishers on the carrying out eligibility on Kentucky Derby, Newgrange is actually powering to have wallet currency because from Baffert’s suspension away from Churchill Downs. No stewards’ governing might have been approved, however, an effective Feb. 7 hearing is apparently place.
Newgrange and you can Degrees step 3 champions Rockefeller and Messier were Baffert’s three nominees towards the Southwestern, which is Oaklawn’s next of four Kentucky Derby activities races
So, when Churchill Downs create the authoritative Kentucky Derby leaderboard late Tuesday mid-day, Newgrange, unlike topping the list that have 20, got no due to the fact Baffert students is actually ineligible to gather Kentucky Derby qualifying items.
They is due to a potential medication admission of his 2021 Kentucky Derby champion Medina Heart
“I am not gonna worry about that right now,” Baffert, an archive seven-date Kentucky Derby champion, told you inside a phone interviews moments following the Southwest.
Within the a text Week-end early morning, Baffert said Newgrange emerged in the “great” figure directly away from his Southwestern earn and you can might possibly be flown straight back so you’re able to his Southern area California base Friday.
Newgrange and Messier spent some time working facing both into the an one half-distance exercise The month of january. 23 within Santa Anita. Each other ponies were paid which have :, and that ranked 2nd out of 114 minutes authored at distance.
Baffert, then, registered to store Messier domestic to the $2 hundred,100 Robert B. Lewis Bet (G3) within step 1 step 1/sixteen miles Feb. 6 at the Santa Anita and posting Newgrange so you’re able to Oaklawn for the Southwest. This new colt arrived Wednesday – a day later than to start with arranged – adopting the an airline out of South Ca.
“I imagined it horse kind of had a notice,” Baffert said. “The latest boat in there is a bit bit more challenging today. You’ve got to head to Memphis (regarding the 190 kilometers northeast away from Beautiful Springs) and have them good van. I thought Newgrange’s had a great mind and you can Messier’s going to work with here in the fresh new Bob Lewis with various of them. You will need to give them aside, make an effort to discover in which they can fit. Thus, that was why.”
Just after leading in the pretty much every point from contact 1st one or two initiate, Newgrange exhibited a separate measurement throughout the step 1 step one/16-distance Southwestern.
Newgrange stalked top-athlete Kavod on the backstretch, however, looked like stressed towards second change and in upper continue. Newgrange ($5) receive several other resources into the furlong marker and stored later-powering Barber Street safer regarding the go to the newest cord. Brand new winning date over a simple song is actually step 1:.
“I believe the guy expected they now,” Baffert told you. “He previously to really instinct it. Turning to possess home, I wasn’t sure. Upcoming, the guy showed up for the. I thought it was a spot for your and you may, hopefully, he simply continues on. He presented now he or she is a fairly solid pony. I make an effort to render my most readily useful horses upwards around one are trying to do an educated.”
Baffert said second-competition arrangements is pending to have Newgrange, a man from Violence who has bankrolled $552,000 having a premier-character control class detailed with SF Racing (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin) and Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke). Newgrange try ordered for 
$125,100000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Marketing.