For the primary time because the spring of 2021, when he started serving what was finally greater than a three-year suspension by monitor operator Churchill Downs Inc., Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert has a horse in competitors at Churchill Downs.
Zedan Racing Stables’ Barnes, a $3.2 million buy by Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing Stables from Fasig-Tipton’s The Saratoga Sale in 2023, debuts within the seventh race at Churchill Nov. 27. The Into Mischief  bay colt, to be ridden by Martin Garcia, faces 10 different 2-year-olds within the 5 1/2-furlong, $120,000 maiden race.Â
This identical proprietor/coach tandem of Zedan and Baffert raced Medina Spirit, who crossed the wire first within the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, solely to be finally disqualified after postrace take a look at outcomes confirmed the presence in his system of betamethasone, a prohibited corticosteroid on race day in Kentucky. For that infraction and different equine remedy violations within the years previous it, CDI suspended Baffert from working horses at its tracks, along with a 90-day suspension utilized throughout the nation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee. The KHRC additionally fined him $7,500.
Unsuccessful authorized challenges contested these suspensions, and when a lawsuit filed by Zedan Racing Stables was dismissed over the summer time, CDI rescinded its suspension.
A six-time Kentucky Derby winner, Baffert gears his secure across the improvement of 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. The coach ran 1-2 within the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar with Citizen Bull and Gaming . Â
Barnes, bred by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, can be strongly supported by bettors in his debut, being a putting bodily specimen out of the American Pharoah  mare All American Dream .
Heading the opposition is BC Stables’ Innovator , a D. Wayne Lukas trainee who was twice second at Saratoga Race Course this summer time and fifth most not too long ago within the Sept. 2 Hopeful Stakes (G1) there.
Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed for the acquisition of the Indian Creek-consigned Barnes at Fasig-Tipton final summer time.
Barnes within the gross sales ring throughout Fasig-Tipton’s 2023 The Saratoga Sale
“If you are going to play the sport and also you wish to purchase the highest finish, you are going to need to stretch, and we stretched,” Lanni informed BloodHorse on the time of the sale. “The primary time we noticed him, Bob was like, ‘Oh my God.’ In order that was it. He liked this horse, and he was adamant that we not go dwelling with out him.”
Barnes is known as after Baffert’s longtime assistant, Jimmy Barnes, who usually travels with Baffert’s high horses when they’re shipped away from the coach’s Southern California base.
The colt has recorded quite a few fast drills at Santa Anita Park, together with half-mile breeze in :48 there Nov. 15 in firm with graded stakes winner Getaway Automobile , the fourth-place finisher from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Barnes, unnamed on the time of the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, closed because the 39-1 ninth betting alternative within the area of 40.Â
In response to Churchill Downs publicity, the colt is scheduled to reach on monitor Nov. 21 together with stablemate Nooni . The latter is nominated to the $225,000 Fern Creek Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong dust stakes race at Churchill Downs for 2-year-old fillies Nov. 30.
