The Bob Baffert-trained Muth won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths on Oct. 7 at Santa Anita Park and earned a "Win & You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge Series berth into the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by TAA back at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

When it was time for the equine Muth to be led into the winner's circle, Baffert made sure Aaron Muth, a longtime friend and enthusiastic supporter of Baffert's stable, did the honors. Muth's wide grin could probably have been seen by the drone that hovers above Santa Anita to cover the races.

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Muth, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., runs a leadership foundation that gives scholarships to low-income kids.

"Muth is always at every Derby, every big race. He loves horse racing and is a big fan of horse racing," Baffert said. "We need more guys like Muth."

So, when it came time to name the 2-year-old son of Good Magic, who topped this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2023 March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training costing $2 million, Baffert asked owner Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing Stables if he could name the horse Muth.

"We were thinking of names, and I said, 'Amr, there's a friend of mine who would really appreciate this. I'd like to name this horse Muth.' Amr didn't even hesitate. He said, 'You do what you want.' Amr's just great."

Muth's namesake put on a picture-perfect performance in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah. When the gate opened, Baffert's other runner, Wine Me Up, somewhat unexpectedly went to the front under Ramon Vazquez, setting early fractions of :23.30 for the first quarter-mile and :46.49 for a half-mile. Muth, under Juan Hernandez, settled into fourth alongside El Magnifico, as Raging Torrent raced about a length behind Wine Me Up.

Muth moved up in the second turn to challenge Wine Me Up, and the two Baffert runners raced as a team. That did not last long, though, as Muth asserted his superiority and pulled away in 1:42.45. He paid $2.80 to win.

Wine Me Up finished second, 5 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place Be You, a shipper from the Todd Pletcher barn who had run fourth in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

Baffert continued his domination of the American Pharoah Stakes, which was renamed for the horse he trained to win the 2015 Triple Crown. American Pharoah captured what was then called the FrontRunner Stakes in 2014. Baffert has now won the race, which began as the Norfolk Stakes, a record 12 times. His string dates back to Souvenir Copy in 1997. The race has been called the American Pharoah since 2018, and of those six runnings, Baffert has won it five times, including with Corniche in 2021 and the late Cave Rock in 2022.

Hernandez also rode Cave Rock, and he had high praise for Muth. "I think this is the best horse I've ever ridden so far," the jockey said.

If all goes well, Muth will compete next in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, along with the Baffert-trained Prince of Monaco, who is 3-for-3 and won the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and beat Muth in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes going six furlongs at Del Mar. Baffert said Wine Me Up may also get a shot at the Breeders' Cup.

Muth now has two wins and a second. In his first race June 18 at Santa Anita, Muth won by 8 3/4 lengths. He then finished second to Prince of Monaco in the Best Pal.

"We've been at all of his races," he human Muth said. "This was a great day, a perfect day. It can't get any better. A Grade 1 race, it was a lot of fun."

Asked if he would return for the Breeders' Cup, Muth answered, "Of course, where else would I be?"

Chatalas Triumphs Around Two Turns in Chandelier Stakes

Trainer Mark Glatt and owner Tim Cohen of Rancho Temascal Thoroughbreds have had a good couple of weekends at Santa Anita Park. A week after the pair's Dr. Schivel scored in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship to put himself squarely in the picture for the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint, Chatalas won the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes to earn a "Win and You're In" berth to the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Glatt unveiled Chatalas July 30 at Del Mar and she broke her maiden at 5 1/2 furlongs by a half-length. After finishing fourth in the seven-furlong Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 9, the filly met eight others in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier. She was the 3-1 third choice in the Chandelier behind Del Mar Debutante second- and third-place finishers, Laurent and Gate to Paradise.

Though she sat off the pace in her first two races, Chatalas, ridden for the first time by Antonio Fresu, went right to the front in the Chandelier where they were able to control the pace as Chatalas completed the first quarter-mile in :23.69 and a half-mile in :47.97.

Dua, who was third in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales, sat about three-quarters of a length off of Chatalas for most of the journey. The pair battled briefly in the stretch, but Chatalas had plenty left and drew out for a 1 1/2-length victory in 1:44.28. Scalable, a maiden after her only previous start, closed to wrest second away from Dua by a neck.

"I was a little disappointed with the Debutante performance," Glatt said. "But I look back on it and she was fairly close to a :44 fraction, and that's just not her. We knew she would have pretty good speed going two turns. She did kind of get everything her own way. She broke sharp and got a relatively comfortable lead, and he rode her great."

Juan Hernandez, who rode Dua, had piloted Chatalas in her first two races, though Fresu said he had breezed Chatalas once a couple of months ago.

"We talked in the paddock, and the plan was to sit right behind the leaders," Fresu said. "But we agreed if nobody goes, then I could. She broke well and I had the advantage of the rail. She relaxed really well in front. When I asked her to kick, she was still kind of immature – she was waiting for someone to come – but the last eighth, she changed gears and won impressively."

If Chatalas continues to do well, Glatt confirmed that the Juvenile Fillies would likely be her next start. There she will likely meet Tamara, the runaway winner of the Debutante and a daughter of Hall of Fame mare Beholder.

Didia Dominates Rodeo Drive to Earn Filly and Mare Turf Berth

Didia was in charge throughout, kicking clear in upper stretch for an unchallenged 1 3/4-length win in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes Oct. 7 at Santa Anita Park. She won "with plenty left in the tank," as remarked by track announcer Frank Mirahmadi.

Left unsaid but undoubtedly implied in that observation is that Didia should have no problem wheeling back in top form for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, also at Santa Anita, on Nov. 4, a race to which she earned a fees-paid berth with her Rodeo Drive "win and you're in" performance as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.

Jockey Vincent Cheminaud rode the even-money favorite like the best horse, racing mid-pack early behind opening fractions of :24.50 and :48.75 set by Turnerloose, then inching up to within a few lengths down the backside and around the far turn before hitting the gas into the straight when he opened by two lengths with no challengers keeping up. Cheminaud maintained that advantage to the wire, stopping the timer in 1:59.79 for 1 1/4 miles over firm turf.

The highly regarded 3-year-old Anisette ran hard through the lane to get second by a neck over Juncture, though neither ever really threatened the winner. Closing Remarks, who pressed the early pace, held on for fourth.

Cheminaud said he felt a break from racing since the Grade 1 New York Stakes on June 9 at Belmont Park helped her cause today. The Argentine-bred daughter of Orpen had won all four of her starts since coming to the U.S. before the New York.

"This is the best filly in this race. The pace just needs to be good but when she relaxes like that, it's easy," Cheminaud said of Didia.

Assuming everything goes to plan, a return mount would give the French-born Chaminaud his first Breeders' Cup appearance.

Trainer Ignacio Correas IV trained another Argentinian import, Blue Prize, to a win in the 2019 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

Didia paid $4.20 to win while boosting her career earnings to $772,109 from a record of 9-2-0 in 13 starts. She was a multiple Group 1 winner in Argentina. – Jim Mulvihill