With Kentucky Derby (G1) dreams in the rearview mirror, 2024's 2-year-old champion male Citizen Bull is aiming to get his career back on track as he cuts back in distance in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course June 7.
The Into Mischief colt spent most of the winter as one of the top choices for the upcoming spring classics after his wire-to-wire victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) last November. However, after fading to fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and 15th in the Kentucky Derby after setting the pace, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is looking for a reset.
In the seven-furlong Woody Stephens, Citizen Bull will make his first start around one turn since September when he was third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at the same distance for jockey Mike Smith, who rides the colt Saturday for the first time since. Previously, he broke his maiden traveling 5 1/2 furlongs.
He'll be joined in the starting gate by his Baffert-trained stablemate Madaket Road. Both horses are owned by the large partnership that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. Stonestreet Stables is also a co-owner of Citizen Bull.
Also on the Derby trail early in the season, Madaket Road's return to one turn resulted in a second-place effort in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs May 3. John Velazquez will have the mount for the first time.
Baffert makes some equipment changes as Citizen Bull will go without blinkers for the first time in his career while blinkers return on Madaket Road after being removed for his last two starts.
Ahead of Madaket Road by 3 1/4 lengths in the Pat Day was Mark Fletcher Taylor, Rohan Crichton, and Daniel Walters' Macho Music. Trained by Crichton, the Maclean's Music colt's speed has carried him to a two-race win streak that included an 11 1/4-length stakes win against Florida-breds at the seven-furlong distance. He appears to be the main pace rival for the Baffert runners.
Between those three, a lively pace should take place. That would benefit the 4-1 morning-line favorite, Chancer McPatrick. Flanagan Racing's McKinzie colt was a perfect 3-for-3 around one turn last year, displaying a devastating late kick in each start. That kick has not been present in his most recent two-turn efforts, recently finishing sixth in the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 8.
An advantage for the Chad Brown runner is experience over the track, winning both his first two career starts over the surface, including the 2024 Hopeful Stakes (G1).
Trainer Brad Cox enters a solid pair of runners in recent allowance winners Patch Adams and Gunmetal while Florida Derby (G1) third-place finisher Neoequos also cuts back in distance for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. after finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby.
The 10-horse field is rounded out by Big Truzz, second to Patch Adams in a May 3 Churchill Downs allowance, and stakes winners T Kraft and Gate to Wire.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, June 7, 2025, Race 11Entries: Woody Stephens S. Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Big Truzz (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Brian A. Lynch 10/1 2 2Madaket Road (KY) John R. Velazquez 118 Bob Baffert 10/1 3 3Macho Music (FL) Javier Castellano 122 Rohan Crichton 8/1 4 4Patch Adams (KY) Luis Saez 118 Brad H. Cox 5/1 5 5Citizen Bull (KY) Mike E. Smith 124 Bob Baffert 5/1 6 6T Kraft (KY) Jose Lezcano 118 William I. Mott 30/1 7 7Colloquial (KY) Manuel Franco 118 George Weaver 6/1 8 8Gunmetal (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Brad H. Cox 8/1 9 9Neoequos (FL) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 10/1 10 10Chancer McPatrick (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Chad C. Brown 4/1 11 11Gate to Wire (KY) Dylan Davis 118 Todd A. Pletcher 12/1
