Baeza

Baeza earned his maiden win in his third career start on Feb. 14, 2025, by 4 3/4 lengths in a one-mile race at Santa Anita, scoring a decisive victory over rivals that included Mellencamp and Westwood.

Baeza stepped up in his next start in the Grade 1 $500,000 Santa Anita Derby going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on April 5 and ran a very competitive second in a five-horse field, beaten three-quarters of a length by Journalism while 8 1/2 lengths clear of Westwood back in third in a field that also included Citizen Bill (finished fourth) and Barnes (finished fifth).

Baeza next pointed to the May 3 Kentucky Derby but fell slightly short based on qualifying points and began Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs as an also eligible for the run for the roses. Following a pair of last-minute scratches, Baeza drew-in to the Kentucky Derby field and raced as horse No. 21 and started the race from the far outside post 19. Baeza sat far off the pace much of the race in the back-half of the field but began making his move passing horses on the turn and continued a sustained rally to get up for a clear third-place finish, just a neck short of catching Journalism for second.

Baeza’s claim to fame before his racing career even started is his classic-winning bloodlines. Bred by Grandview Equine, he’s by the sire McKinzie and out of the broodmare Puca, making him a half-brother to two recent classic winners, 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (both sired by Good Magic).