Citizen Bull, Baeza Work Towards Santa Anita Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Eclipse Award-winning juvenile colt Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and the well-related Baeza (McKinzie) were each out for breezes Saturday morning as they prep for their respective next starts in the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5.

With former jockey Juan Ochoa in the irons, Citizen Bull went six furlongs in 1:12.60 for trainer Bob Baffert. The $675,000 Keeneland September yearling won three of his four outings in 2024, locking up his championship with a front-running, 3 3/4-length defeat of stablemate Gaming (Game Winner) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. The bay kicked off his Classics campaign in style with a facile defeat of 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Feb. 1.

Baeza, the half-brother to 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) and to last year's GI Belmont Stakes hero Mage (Good Magic), will look to earn his way into Triple Crown consideration in the Santa Anita Derby. The $1.2-million Keeneland September purchase, who races for Lee Searing's CRK Stable and Grandview Equine, was a debut ninth on the turf at Del Mar at December, but has shown his true talent on the main track. Runner-up to Rodriguez in a one-mile maiden Jan. 4, the bay rolled home a 4 3/4-length graduate over the same course and distance Feb. 14. Baeza worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:02.20 with Hector Berrios up.

Also on the Santa Anita worktab was Madaket Road (Quality Road), a latest pacesetting second in the Feb. 23 GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park who drilled three furlongs in :37 flat.

 

Work of the Day from @santaanitapark—Baeza worked 5 Furlongs in 1:02.20 on March 8th, 2025, for trainer John Shirreffs. pic.twitter.com/YnSW2hVpl9

— 1/ST TV (@Watch1ST) March 8, 2025

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