Baeza – Kentucky Derby Context

An impressive maiden winner two starts back, Baeza exits a gallant second to Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Journalism in his stakes debut, the Santa Anita Derby (G1). The well-bred colt registered an excellent 107 Brisnet Speed rating, generating a triple-digit Late Pace number for the second consecutive start, and Baeza is a candidate to keep showing more in the Kentucky Derby if he gets the defections necessary to draw into the main body of the 20-horse field.

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OWNER: C R K Stable (Lee and Susan Searing) and breeder Grandview Equine (Robert Clay) campaign Baeza. C R K Stable has had two previous starters, with Candy Boy finishing 13th in 2014 and Honor A. P. fourth in 2020. Clay, who sold Three Chimney Farms in 2013, has campaigned a pair of previous starters in partnerships, including Chief’s Crown, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, second in the Preakness (G1), and third in the Belmont (G1) in 1985.

TRAINER: John Shirreffs won the Kentucky Derby in his first attempt, saddling Giacomo to a 50-1 upset in 2004. Baeza would be his sixth starter, the first since Honor A. P. was sixth in 2020. Based in Southern California, the 79-year-old is best known for training the great race mare and Hall of Famer Zenyatta, who won 19 of 20 starts.

JOCKEY: Winner of the Eclipse Award after establishing new records for stakes wins and graded stakes wins in 2024, Flavien Prat will seek his second Kentucky Derby victory. The 32-year-old French native finished third with his first mount, Midway Road, in 2017, and captured the Run for the Roses two years later, winning via disqualification aboard 65-1 Country House. Prat has been outside the top four only once from seven starts, finishing second on Hot Rod Charlie in 2021 and third the following two years on Zandon and Angel of Empire. Prat also won the 2021 Preakness with 11-1 upsetter Rombauer.

BREEDER: Baeza would provide his breeder, Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine, with a third consecutive Kentucky Derby starter. A $1.2 million purchase as a yearling at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, the well-built bay colt will try to emulate half-brother Mage, who won the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Dornoch, bred in Kentucky like his half-brother Baeza and full-brother Mage, finished 10th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, but returned to win the Belmont (G1) five weeks later.

SIRE: An earner of $3.4 million, McKinzie recorded four Grade 1 wins at distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles and finished second in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). He was represented by Grade 1 winners Chancer McPatrick and Scottish Lassie last year, but Baeza has a shot to become the most successful performer from his first crop. McKinzie is by 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

DAM: Baeza is the fourth foal from stakes-winning Puca, who will try to become the first broodmare to produce two Kentucky Derby winners. Twelfth in the 2015 Kentucky Oaks (G1), Puca produced 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont winner Dornoch. She’s the daughter of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) winner Big Brown, and Puca counts accomplished turf performer Finnegans Wake as a half-brother. By Boundary, Big Brown appears to be developing into a good broodmare sire after an underwhelming stud career. Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Dortmund, third in the 2015 Kentucky Derby, was Big Brown’s top performer as a sire.

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