Zayat Stables’ Paynter romped to a 3 3/4-length triumph over Nonios in
Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million
Haskell
Invitational, furthering Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s stranglehold on
Monmouth Park’s signature race. Baffert, who already owned the record, has now
sent out his sixth Haskell winner, and an unprecedented third in a row.
Paynter was coming off a last-gasp loss to Union Rags in the June 9 Belmont
Stakes, capping a heartbreaking Triple Crown series for his connections.
Stablemate and fellow Zayat standard-bearer Bodemeister had similarly been
collared late by I’ll Have Another in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness
Stakes.
With the retirements of both I’ll Have Another and Union Rags due to injury,
the mantle of leading active three-year-old is now up for grabs, and Paynter
stated his case with alacrity in the Haskell.
“Jimmy and I have always been high on him,” Baffert said from Del Mar,
referring to assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes, who saddled the colt at Monmouth.
“He worked really well there (at Del Mar) getting ready for this. He came
here and showed us he is a serious horse.”
The Awesome Again colt looked rather sweaty in the post parade, but that
didn’t affect his odds, or his performance. Clipped to even-money favoritism as
he entered the gate, Paynter didn’t break as sharply as his market rival
Gemologist, the 2-1 second choice, who blasted straight to the lead.
As Gemologist posted an opening quarter in :23 4/5, Paynter was guided into a
perfect stalking spot on the outside by new rider Rafael Bejarano. Gemologist
raced a couple of paths off the rail, and the opening was too inviting for the
rail-drawn Nonios down the backstretch. Nonios took the opportunity to move up
along the inside and press Gemologist through a half in :48.
The pacesetter inched away again from Nonios nearing the far turn, and
Paynter, covering that move, drew up to Gemologist’s throatlatch through six
furlongs in 1:11 1/5. For a few strides, the two principals promised to serve up
a rousing duel. But Gemologist wasn’t traveling as sweetly as Paynter was.
Jockey Javier Castellano had to resort to the whip surprisingly early rounding
the final turn, and there was no response.
Now that his nearest competitor was finished, Paynter quickly opened up
swinging for home. The only possible challenger was Nonios, who by this time had
angled to the outside. The rest of the field were all soundly beaten.
As if hearing the approach of Nonios’ hoofbeats, Paynter found another gear
down the stretch. The sharply improving bay stamped his authority in decisive
terms, reaching the mile in 1:36 1/5 and completing 1 1/8 miles on the fast
track in 1:48 4/5. Paynter furnished mutuels of $4, $2.60 and $2.40.
Some observers might have viewed Paynter as a need-the-lead type, but not
Bejarano. The hot rider, who transferred his torrid streak from Del Mar to
Monmouth on Haskell Day, had gotten familiar with Paynter by working him in the
mornings.
“I knew I could come from off the pace if I wanted to,” Bejarano said. “I
pulled him to the outside and that was that. He ran so easy.
“I knew Gemologist was the horse to beat, but if he wanted to go to the lead,
that was fine. At the half-mile pole, my horse blew by him and that was that.
“It was thrilling for me to win the Haskell. It’s a great race, and great for
my career.”
Nonios finished 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Stealcase, who found himself last
early after hitting the gate, but closed to grab third. Handsome Mike reported
home fourth, trailed by Dullahan and Gemologist.
Paynter’s first career stakes victory boosted his bankroll to $952,224 from
his 6-3-2-0 line. Unraced at two, he impressively won his February 18 debut in a
5 1/2-furlong maiden at Santa Anita. Paynter was pitched straight into the deep
end in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 7, where he was trying classy and
seasoned opponents while stretching out to 1 1/8 miles. A poor start didn’t
help, but he still finished a creditable fourth to I’ll Have Another.
Runner-up in the Grade 3 Derby Trial next time out at a sloppy Churchill
Downs April 28, Paynter showed that he was heading in the right direction with a
5 3/4-length decision in an allowance on Preakness Day at Pimlico. His progress
continued in the Belmont Stakes, with only Union Rags thwarting a wire-to-wire
score.
Now Paynter joins an illustrious group of Baffert-trained Haskell winners —
Horse of the Year Point Given (2001), champion War Emblem (2002), Roman Ruler
(2005), two-time champion Lookin at Lucky (2010) and Coil (2011). Of those, only
Lookin at Lucky boasted a bigger winning margin at Monmouth (four lengths).
“When you win, they always feel like the first one,” Baffert said of his
place in the record book. “They’re all exciting and they never get old.”
Bred by Diamond A Racing Corp. in Kentucky, Paynter was a $325,000 Keeneland
September yearling purchase. He is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Tiz West,
stakes queen Tizakitty and the stakes-placed Tizalovelylady.
Paynter is out of the Cee’s Tizzy mare Tizso, a full full sister to Hall of
Famer Tiznow as well as multiple Grade 2 star and $2.8 million-earner Budroyale,
Grade 2 victress Tizdubai and Grade 2-placed stakes scorer Tizbud.
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