Mor Spirit

After winning his second career start by 4 1/4 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Mor Spirit finished second as the favorite in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. He returned to his Southern California base for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and overhauled stablemate Toews On Ice for a clear victory.

Mor Spirit made his 2016 debut a memorable one with a convincing win in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park under Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. He subsequently finished second to Danzing Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 12. He cemented his credentials as a solid contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands with a runner-up finish in the Grade 1, $1-million Santa Anita Derby.

After finishing 10^th in the Kentucky Derby, Mor Spirit only raced once more as a 3-year-old, finishing fourth in the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita in December 2016. He returned at age 4 in good form, finishing second in the San Antonio Stakes and then winning the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park and the Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park.

Mor Spirit was a $650,000 purchase at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of selected 2-year-olds in training.