Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Baeza

Apr 16, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

c

CRK Stable and Grandview Equine’s Baeza punched his ticket to Louisville with a game second-place run in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5 for conditioner John Shirreffs. The colt has amassed 37.5 points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series.

Baeza began his career on Dec. 1 at Del Mar on the lawn in a one-mile maiden special weight tilt and finished off the board. Moved to the main strip at Santa Anita for his second career outing on Jan. 4, the bay finished a solid second behind Wood Memorial S. (G2) winner Rodriguez in a maiden special weight contest at eight furlongs. He preceded his Santa Anita Derby showing with a stout, 4 3/4-length maiden victory at The Great Race Place on Feb. 14, and his lifetime line reads 4-1-2-0, $148,500.

The son of McKinzie was bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine and attracted a closing bid of $1.2 million at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He was produced from the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Puca, and he counts himself as a half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage, as well as 2024 Belmont S. (G1) and Haskell S. (G1) star Dornoch. This female line is also responsible for Grade 1 victor Finnegan’s Wake.

Baeza has displayed excellent improvement throughout his brief career by posting ascending Brisnet Speed figures of 79-88-98-107, which include Late Pace numbers of 101 and 102 in his last pair of assignments. The colt is surely bred to handle classic distances and is undoubtedly moving in the right direction approaching the Run for the Roses. If the talented sophomore draws into the main body of the race and takes another step forward, then he will be one to be reckoned with at Churchill Downs.