On November 28, 2010, the Bob Baffert-trained The Factor went postward as one of the most hyped two-year-old maidens of the year. Sent off at 3/5, the gray War Front (TrueNicks,SRO) colt broke well in the 6.5-furlong race, but was taken off the pace, shuffled back, and was never a factor while finishing fourth.
Realizing that stalking the pace was not this colt's style—at least not at this point in his career—Baffert instructed jockey Rafael Bejarano to send The Factor to the lead in his next outing one month later. The result was emphatic...
