DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Citizen Bull won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 1 1/2 lengths and Gaming was second at Del Mar on Friday, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish and his record sixth career victory in the race for 2-year-olds.
Ridden by Martin Garcia, Citizen Bull ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.07. He paid $33.80 at 15-1 odds.
Citizen Bull earned 30 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, where Baffert will return next year for the first time since 2021. His three-year ban by Churchill Downs ended in July.
Gaming was the 6-1 third choice. Baffert’s other entry, Getaway Car named for the Taylor Swift song, finished fourth at 25-1 odds.
“It’s exciting when your horses show up,” Baffert said. “I was hoping they’d run 1-2-3.”
It was Baffert’s 19th career Cup win and he broke a tie with D. Wayne Lukas for most Juvenile victories. Jockey Martin Garcia earned his fifth career Cup win.
“He always comes through. He’s a big-time rider,” Baffert said of Garcia. “He told me, ‘I’m going to win it.’”
East Avenue, the 8-5 favorite, stumbled out of the starting gate and nearly went down to his knees. He finished ninth in the 10-horse field. Chancer McPatrick, the 5-2 second choice, lost for the first time in four career starts and was sixth.
Racing resumes Saturday with nine Cup races, highlighted by the $7 million Classic.
In other races:
— Magnum Force rallied to overtake leader Governor Sam and win the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint by a quarter-length. The 12-1 shot ran five furlongs in 56.36 seconds and paid $27 to win. Irish trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane earned their first Cup victories. Governor Sam, co-owned by Houston Astros free agent Alex Bregman, finished third.
— Immersive won the $2 million Juvenile Fillies by 4 1/2 lengths, giving trainer Brad Cox at least one Cup win in each of the last seven years. Ridden by Manny Cox, Immersive ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.36 to remain undefeated. Sent off as the 2-1 favorite, she paid $6 to win.
— Lake Victoria overcame a challenging trip to win the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf by 1 1/4 lengths. The 2-year-old filly ran 1 mile in 1:34.28 and paid $3.40 as the 3-5 favorite. Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien earned his 19th career Cup victory and jockey Ryan Moore his 15th.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
