American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces

bob baffert
bob baffert

Saturday’s American Pharoah Stakes, at Santa Anita, is dominated by the Bob Baffert yard, who have won the prize 10 times in the past and he means business again with 50% of the 8 runners. With the winner also getting a free ticket for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov 5 there is an added sub-plot to this 2 year-old Grade 1.

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American Pharoah Stakes 2022: When Is The Race?

Run on the dirt over 1m 1/2f, the Grade One American Pharoah Stakes is staged at Santa Anita racecourse for 2 year-olds.

📅Date: Saturday October 8, 2022
🏇Racetrack: Santa Anita, Dirt (Race 8, 4:38pm)
💰 Purse: $300,000

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RELATED: Breeders’ Cup Classic Next For Life Is Good After Woodward Win


American Pharoah Stakes 2022, Santa Anita (Oct 8)

This Saturday’s Santa Anita card is sees the Rodeo Drive Stakes and the American Pharoah Stakes – both Grade 1 races that are also part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the winner of the American Pharoah Stakes will get a free golden ticket into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Nov 4.

The Coolmore Turf Mile is another big race this weekend at Keeneland, with a cool $1 purse and a slot for the winner in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, while the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is the main race at Aqueduct.

Jockey Mike E Smith Landed His Second American Pharoah Stakes Win On Corniche Last Year

Last year, hall of fame jockey Mike E Smith guided home the Bb Baffert-trained Corniche to a comfortable victory (watch below), which added to Smith’s only other success in the race in 2010 on Jaycito – Smith rides the Baffert-trained Hejazi this Saturday.

Trainer Bob Baffert Has Won The American Pharoah Stakes 10 Times!

The stable with the best record in the American Pharoah Stakes is Bob Baffert, who also trained the Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and who this Grade 1 race is named after.

bob baffert
Bob Baffert

Baffert has a staggering 10 American Pharoah Stakes wins to his name, including 3 of the last 4 runnings, so anything he runs this Saturday has to be respected.

Baffert’s first win in the race came back in 1997 with Souvenir Copy and since then has added 9 more American Pharoah Stakes wins (see full list below), with his most recent wins Eight Rings in 2019 and Corniche in 2021 (watch below).

This year Baffert clearly means business again with 50% of the 8 American Pharoah runner – Gandolfini, National Treasure, Hejazi and Cave Rock – the last two mentioned look his best hopes.

Other yards to look for in the American Pharoah Stakes are the Doug F. O’Neill team, who landed the race in 2013 with Bond Holder and 2015 with Nyquist. O’Neill has Odonata entered in 2022.

American Pharoah Stakes A Two Horse Baffert Shootout

With 4 of the 8 American Pharoah Stakes runners housed at the Bob Baffert yard, who are looking for win number 11 in this race, then it’s odds-on that one of entries will be passing the post first this Saturday.

Gandolfini was supplemented for the race for $6,000, to join the other Starlight Racing runner – National Treasure – but it’s the two other Baffert runners – Cave Rock and HEJAZI – that look set to fight this one out.

Of the pair, Cave Rock @ 4/5 with BetOnline is the likely favorite after winning both his career starts and was impresssive last time when powering away to a 5 1/4 length win at Del Mar in the G1 Futurity Stakes on Sept 12 (watch below).

This Arrogate colt is also the favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Fri Nov 4, and should he win this will get a free pass to that Keeneland race next month. He’s stepping up from 7f to 1m 1/2f here, so the jury is out about the trip. Okay, he wasn’t stopping last time over 7f to suggest and extra 1.5f will be fine, but his trainer has expressed a few doubts – saying you don’t really know until you try it.

However, there is a case to be made for the other Baffert runner HEJAZI @ 5/2 with BetOnline getting the better of his stablemate Cave Rock.

Yes, this expensive 2 year-old, that cost $3.5m, is yet to grab a win from two starts (2 seconds), but the step up in trip for this Bernardini colt looks a good move. He’s been running well over 5 1/2f but has been outpaced at a crucial part over that sprint trip, only to run on well in the closing stages (you can watch his debut run below at Del Mar on Aug 20) and his breeding suggests the step up in trip will be more to his liking.

Add in that Mike Smith, who has won the American Pharoah Stakes twice in the past, rides then this Baffert Juvenile can finally start to fulfill his lofty price-tag but grabbing a first career win and also booking his place at the Breeders’ Cup next month too.

Bob Baffert American Pharoah Stakes Wins
  • 2021: Corniche
  • 2019: Eight Rings
  • 2018: Game Winner
  • 2014: American Pharoah
  • 2012: Power Broker
  • 2009: Lookin at Lucky
  • 2004: Roman Ruler
  • 2002: Kafwain
  • 2000: Flame Thrower
  • 1997: Souvenir Copy

American Pharoah Stakes DRF Betting Preview For 2022 Race

American Pharoah Stakes 2022 Betting and Runners

See below the latest betting ahead of the 2022 American Pharoah Stakes on Saturday Oct 8, at Santa Anita.

American Pharoah Stakes Horse Latest Odds Bookmaker
1. GANDOLFINI 12/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
2. MAN CHILD 30/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
3. MACNAMARA 50/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
4. ODONATA 20/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
5. CAVE ROCK 4/5 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
6. NATIONAL TREASURE 6/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
7. SKINNER 5/1 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces
8. HEJAZI 5/2 American Pharoah Stakes 2022: Bob Baffert Holds All The Aces

All odds correct as of on Fri Oct 7 and subject to change

American Pharoah Stakes Recent Winners

  • 2021: CORNICHE
  • 2020: GET HER NUMBER
  • 2019: EIGHT RINGS
  • 2018: GAME WINNER
  • 2017: BOLT d’ORO
  • 2016: GORMLEY
WATCH: Corniche Winning The 2021 American Pharoah Stakes


RELATED: Breeders’ Cup Classic Next For Life Is Good After Woodward Win


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