Bast Leads Baffert Trifecta in Santa Ynez

ARCADIA, CA – Baoma Corporation’s Bast continued her divisional dominance on Sunday when she hit the wire first ahead of her two Bob Baffert stablemates in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Breaking from the far outside post 7 under Drayden Van Dyke as the 3/5 favorite, Bast remained position in the clear. To her inside, stablemates Auberge and Golden Principal exited posts 1 and 2, respectively, well enough to establish the lead.

Racing down the backstretch, Auberge posted opening fractions of :22.02 and :44.59, but midway through the far turn, Golden Principal ranged up to meet her eye. Bast began winding up for her run just behind the top pair as the remaining three runners faded.

Though put to the test much earlier than the front-runners, Bast was able to range up three-wide shortly after straightening for home. Auberge managed to squeak back past Golden Principal, but Bast’s stretch run soon proved to be too tough to withstand.

With her class kicking into high gear at the 1/16 pole, Bast cleared away late to win by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:23.42 for the 7-furlong sprint over the fast main track.

“The outside post gives you the option of being able to read the pace,” Van Dyke said.  “When we got near the 1/4 pole, the other two were going easy, so I had to get after her. She was shortening up out of a route (when winning the Starlet Stakes [G1]), but she kicked it in.”

Auberge outran Golden Principal by 2 1/2 lengths in the end, with the $1 Baffert exacta paying $3.70 and the $0.50 trifecta $2.65.

“You hate to run three in a race like that, but it’s a graded race and it’s $200,000,” Baffert said. “I want to give all my clients a chance at it. As long as they are doing well and you enter them, the more races you get into ’em, it is better for them. Especially those other two (Auberge and Golden Principal), there was no race for them, so I think they are going to get a lot out of it.”

Orquidias Biz was 9 1/4 lengths back in fourth, with K P Dreamin and Lovely Lilia completing the order of finish. Paige Anne was scratched.

The Santa Ynez is part of the Road to the 2020 Kentucky Oaks prep race season. Bast earned 10 points for the win, with Auberge receiving 4 for second, Golden Principal 2 for third, and Orquidias Biz 1 for fourth.

Bast’s win was the fourth of her career, all at the graded stakes level, to improve her overall record to 6-4-1-1, with her lone third coming in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The 3-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, purchased for $500,000 as a yearling, has now bankrolled $852,200 to date.

“She came out of the Breeders’ Cup well,” Baffert said. “She’s a picture of health and that’s why we ran her today.”

Bast returned $3.20 to win, $2.10 to place, and $2.10 to show. Auberge brought back $3 to place and $2.10 to show, while Golden Principal paid $2.20 to show.