Classic Cat Victory Sweet 16 for Baffert

To the surprise of no one, trainer Bob Baffert added to a record he established a week ago Classic Cat, the 2-5 favorite, outclassed his three rivals in the $150,000 San Bernardino Handicap on a gloomy Sunday at Santa Anita, providing Baffert with his 16th stakes victory of the meet. He had won his record-setting 15th a week earlier with Commitisize in the El Rincon Handicap.

Perfect in two starts for Baffert after earning more than $1 million as a 3-year-old while trained by David Cross for owner Gary Garber, Classic Cat was kept in the clear while reserved off the pace by jockey Gary Stevens, then took charge in the final furlong to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:47 3/5 over a muddy track.

Budroyale, the defending champion in the Grade II, finished second, eight lengths clear of Klinsman, then it was 15 back to Pompeyo in a race where the horses finished in exact order of their odds.

“He’s only going to get better and distance is not a problem for him,” said Baffert. “He’s nice to have, especially with Silver Charm on the shelf for a little bit. We’ll just go one race at a time.”

Stevens, who before this year had last ridden Classic Cat when he was a 2-year-old, was impressed.

“He was just kind of loafing along early,” he said. “I probably could have let him drop back a little more, but I didn’t want Budroyale to get away from me and make my horse do too much.

“He just stayed real steady all the way and galloped out nice after the race. He was very professional. He had been training great, ran great [when winning on March 12] and ran even better [on Sunday].”

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General Challenge and Prime Timber, the 1-2 finishers in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby nine days ago, both worked half miles Sunday morning at Santa Anita.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time in his Derby victory, General Challenge was clocked in 46 1/5 while Prime Timber, who was nearly scratched from the Derby the day before the race, was timed in 47 3/5 for Baffert. Dana Barnes worked both horses.

“I was pleased with both works,” said Baffert, who will be looking for a record third consecutive win in the Kentucky Derby on May 1. “It shows they came out of the race really well. [General Challenge] always works well and Prime Timber went really nice too.”

General Challenge and Prime Timber are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday.

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Good And Tough, the 6-5 favorite, rallied along the rail under jockey Shane Sellers to easily defeat Purple Passion and three others in the $200,000 Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Keeneland.

Trained by Frank Alexander for owner David Reynolds, Good And Tough sat just off the pace set by longshot Crucible while racing on the inside, then came through an opening at the top of the stretch to win going away in 1:22 for the seven furlongs.

The win was the seventh in 15 starts for the 4-year-old son of Carson City, who, in his previous start, had won the Deputy Minister Handicap at Gulfstream Park by six lengths.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey David Flores had two winners Sunday, and with six days remaining in the meet he has a 68-61 lead over Alex Solis as he seeks his first riding title at Santa Anita. . . . Corey Black also had two winners Sunday, scoring with Enid in the second and Special Flag in the fourth.