ASSOCIATED PRES
DEL MAR, Calif. — 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 race win for 2yrs.
Ridden by Martin Garcia, Citizen Bull ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.07. He paid $33.80 at odds of 15-1.
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 suspension from Churchill Downs ended in July.
Gaming was the 6-1 third choice. Baffert’s other entry, Getaway Car, named after a Taylor Swift song, finished fourth at 25-1 odds.
“It’s exciting when your horses show up,” Baffert said. “I was hoping they would run 1-2-3.”
It was Baffert’s 19th career Cup win and tied him with D. Wayne Lucas for most wins as a junior. Jockey Martin Garcia won his fifth career Cup.
“He’s always up to it. He’s a great 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 fell to his knees. He finished ninth in the 10-horse division. 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.
- Magnum Force rallied to overtake leader Governor Sam to win the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint by a quarter of a length. The 12-1 shot went five furlongs in 56.36 seconds and earned $27 to win. Irish trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane claimed their first Cup wins. 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 victory in each of the past seven years. Ridden by Manny Cox, Immersive ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.36 to remain undefeated. Sent off as a 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 claimed his 19th career Cup win and jockey Ryan Moore his 15th.
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Henri Mathis won the $1 million junior event as Moore and O’Brien combined for their second win of the day. Moore won his 16th career Cup race. It was O’Brien’s 20th career Cup victory and seventh in the race. Sent off as a 7-2 favorite, Henri Mathis ran the 1 mile in 1:34.48. Iron Man Cal was second and Aomori City third. There was a lengthy steward’s inquiry involving New Century who finished fourth and Dream On who was fifth, but there was no change in the finishing order.