Irrefutable, who closed well at 6-1 to finish second behind
victorious Amazombie in Saturday’s Grade I Ancient Title Stakes at six
furlongs, beating 2-5 favorite The Factor in the process, might have
earned himself a spot in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5,
Bob Baffert said Sunday morning.
“I might try him in the (Dirt) Mile if he can get in there,” the
Hall of Fame trainer said of the 5-year-old gray horse owned by Kaleem
Shah. “I like the way he ran yesterday. He ran a good race.”
Despite The Factor’s disappointing performance—he finished more
than five lengths behind Amazombie after breaking from the No. 1 post
position—the Breeders’ Cup Sprint is still on his agenda.
“He came back out of it really good,” Baffert said. “Euroears
will go, too, but Coil’s not going (in the Dirt Mile). I’m going to
freshen him up. Drill’s going to go (in the Juvenile) and Game on Dude
(Classic).”
Baffert added that Prayer for Relief will seek his fourth Derby
win in next Sunday’s $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. Rafael
Bejarano rides the winner of the Grade III Iowa Derby, the Grade II West
Virginia Derby and the Grade II Super Derby.
Railbird and Santa Ysabel winner May Day Rose runs in the Oklahoma Oaks the same day, Baffert said.