Richard’s Kid sold, transferred to O’Neill barn

Richard’s Kid looks around his new digs (Courtesy of Del Mar via Twitter) Multiple Grade 1 star Richard’s Kid, who will bid for his third title in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic August 26, has been transferred from Bob Baffert to the Doug O’Neill barn after being sold privately Saturday. The new ownership group is led by Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Christopher Boghossian’s Triple B Farms and also consists of Mark Verge’s Westside Rentals, Dave Kenny, Steve Keh and Danny Kramer. A source close to the arrangements behind the private deal indicated that the Boghossian group had outbid Australian interests in the purchase of the horse. Although the selling price was undisclosed, the source indicated that it was most likely a low seven-figure number. O’Neill just began serving a 40-day suspension for a 2010 case in which a horse tested above the threshold for carbon dioxide. His assistant Leandro Mora has taken over the operation of the barn as the trainer of record. “The plan,” Mora said, “is to run him in the Pacific Classic, then look at our options concerning the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll have to see what happens with possibilities and there could be several ways to go with this horse. Then, if we can keep him sound and happy, we’d look at running in the Dubai World Cup.” Richard’s Kid has been unplaced in both of his prior tries in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in 2010 and 2011, but Mora doesn’t place much trust in that precedent. “He was in different hands over there,” Mora said. “We think he’ll respond well to the O’Neill program. He’s going to start on it tomorrow.”

This is the third time that Richard’s Kid has been the subject of a private
sale. Originally campaigned by breeder Robert E. Meyerhoff’s Fitzhugh, the
Maryland-bred scored his first career stakes win in the 2009 John B. Campbell
Handicap at Laurel.

Richard’s Kid was subsequently purchased by Arnold Zetcher and left trainer
Richard Small for the Southern California-based Baffert. The son of Lemon Drop
Kid became one of the top older horses on the circuit, winning the 2009 Pacific
Classic and placing in both the Grade 1 Goodwood and the Cougar II Handicap.

In early 2010, Richard’s Kid changed silks again. He was bought by Sheikh
Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum, whose nom de course is Zabeel Racing
International, as a prospect for the Dubai World Cup. A dramatic last to
first winner of the Grade 2 San Antonio Handicap in his debut for his new owner,
the Baffert trainee was a non-threatening seventh in the Dubai showpiece.

Back in Southern California, Richard’s Kid finished third in both the Grade 1
Hollywood Gold Cup and the Cougar II (a newly minted Grade 3) before regaining
top form. The deep closer rallied in time to repeat in the Pacific Classic and
followed up with another smart win in the Goodwood.

Richard’s Kid was then shipped to Dubai and placed in the care of trainer
Satish Seemar. He raced only twice in 2011, failing to pack his usual punch, and
showed little more in his three Meydan appearances earlier this season.

Richard’s Kid set a track record in his last start for Zabeel Racing and Bob Baffert (Benoit Photos) Returned to Baffert following a fourth in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on March 31, the seven-year-old signaled his happiness by crushing the June 8 Prove It at Hollywood Park by 7 1/4 lengths. Richard’s Kid next finished second to stablemate Game on Dude in the July 7 Hollywood Gold Cup, and in his most recent outing, he easily captured the July 27 Cougar II in a track-record time of 2:29 1/5 for 1 1/2 miles on Del Mar’s Polytrack. Richard’s Kid, who has bankrolled $1,986,360 from a record of 35-11-3-7, remains on course for a Pacific Classic showdown with former stablemates Game on Dude and Jaycito. “I’m down to two,” Baffert said of his Pacific Classic prospects. While regular rider Chantal Sutherland will reunite with Game on Dude, the mount on Jaycito was undetermined Sunday morning pending discussions involving Baffert and Joe Ferrer, the agent for jockey Rafael Bejarano, and the new connections for Richard’s Kid.

The meet’s leading rider, Bejarano, who rides regularly for Baffert, has been
aboard Richard’s Kid in all three of his U.S. starts this year. Possibilities
for Bejarano include retaining the mount on Richard’s Kid, or riding Jaycito for
Baffert. If Bejarano opts for the former, Baffert said Victor Espinoza would
ride Jaycito.

Of the sale of Richard’s Kid, Baffert said he was surprised and somewhat
disappointed.

“It was handled very unprofessionally. But, it happens, so move on,” Baffert
summed up.

Richard’s Kid was placed in Stall 1 at the O’Neill barn, the same stall that
held the stable’s $5.2-million stakes star and 2006 Pacific Classic winner Lava
Man.

One of his new owners, Dave Kenny, was on hand to greet the dark bay horse on
arrival.

“We’re really excited,” Kenny noted. “You don’t get many chances like this in
this game. We think he’s got a lot of upside and we’re glad we were able to pull
this off. We think he has several major stakes opportunities in front of him,
then some real potential as a stud. There already have been some offers in that
regard, so we’re feeling pretty good about this whole move.”

Mora reported that Richard’s Kid would gallop up to the Pacific Classic, with
a possible blow-out on Saturday.

“Perhaps a blow-out down the lane the day before he runs,” Mora said of final
preparations. “We do that with some horses.”

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