Earls Rock Shortens Up, Wins Baffle Stakes At Santa Anita Sponsored by:
Irish-bred Earls Rock and Flavien Prat (right) defeat Beer Can Man in the Baffle Stakes
A lights-out maiden winner going a flat mile on turf in his U.S. debut Jan. 9, Irish-bred Earls Rock cut back in distance and further enhanced his status as an up-and-coming star with an impressive three-quarter length tally in Friday s $75,000 Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Phil D Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat, Earls Rock rallied from off the pace to cover 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:16.15.
Breaking from his number two post position in a field of nine sophomores, Earls Rock was an unhurried sixth, about six lengths off speedy Mac Daddy Too heading into the far turn. Midway around the turn, Prat began to make up ground and split horses turning for home, just to the outside of the pacesetter.