BOB Baffert teamed up with John Velazquez, a rarity, to sweep the opening day juvenile stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Baoma Corporation’s Bast bested Comical by a neck in the Grade 1 Chandelier. The daughter of Uncle Mo finished second in her debut at Del Mar on August 11th and came back to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in her next start. She’s now two-for-three and heading to the Breeders’ Cup as the Juvenile Fillies’ favourite.

Velazquez collected his 661st graded stakes win, usurping Jerry Bailey as the all-time leader of graded stakes victories.

“This means a lot, (Bailey) is a guy who I rode with for so many years and have looked up to for so long. It’s incredible,” Velazquez said.

“Going to the backstretch, she looked really good, and I was pretty confident. We got to the turn and I thought we might go a little wide, but I said ‘no, no – you have to stay there.’ I got up to her and she cruised down the lane and put her head out in front of the other horse. She gave me a lot today.”

Rings rules

Three races later, Eight Rings added to Velazquez’s graded stakes lead with a win in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes. The son of Empire Maker lost jockey Drayden Van Dyke in the Del Mar Futurity, sending the young jockey to the sidelines and ultimately leading to the Velazquez/Baffert combination at Santa Anita.

“I told Johnny V. to ride him with confidence. I thought he might be in front. Johnny said let’s get him away from there, and he’s figured out this track.

“He just got out there really quick and I was actually just watching his ears the whole way,” Baffert said.

“Johnny said he’ll be going good, then he’ll start looking around and lagging, and all the way down the stretch he was still looking around. But it was a good race for him, coming off that last disastrous race. I’m just so fortunate that Drayden didn’t get hurt worse. I’ve got to thank my entire team.”