Trainer Bob Baffert secured his eighth consecutive victory in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) race with Plutarch, who surged late to overtake Intrepid in Saturday’s one-mile contest for three-year-olds at Santa Anita. This marked Baffert’s 14th win overall in the Lewis.
Intrepid, last year’s G1 American Pharoah winner with a record of four wins and one loss, led early under jockey Hector Berrios, but Plutarch, ridden by Florent Geroux, and other challengers were closing the gap. Along the backstretch, Plutarch and Intrepid battled side by side before the final stretch, where Plutarch gradually pulled ahead. Although Intrepid mounted a strong late inside challenge, Plutarch held firm to win by three-quarters of a length.
“I felt he broke very well and put me in a perfect position,” said Geroux, who recently moved to Santa Anita from New Orleans Fairgrounds. “I asked him to pick up the pace in the lane, and he responded strongly. I waited a bit on the inside, and once he found his gear, he was unstoppable.”
Plutarch, a progeny of Carlin, completed the race in 1:37.02, marking his first stakes and first dirt victory. The mare Into Mischief, mother to 2015 champion Stella Wind, is in his bloodline. Plutarch had previously placed third to Intrepid in the American Pharoah Stakes on dirt and later won a turf race over 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar last November.
The Robert B. Lewis serves as a qualifier for the Kentucky Derby, awarding points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers. Baffert praised Plutarch, who earned 20 points in this event, saying, “He reminds me of Authentic and keeps improving weekly. Distance won’t be a problem — this is an exciting, legitimate contender.”
Tim Yakuteen’s Secured Freedom, making his two-turn debut with jockey Kazushi Kimura, finished third. Desert Gate, another Baffert trainee and the 6-5 favorite, struggled after a slow start to finish fourth, while Cherokee Nation, also from Baffert’s barn, took fifth. “Desert Gate missed the break, and that one gap hurt us. He’s a one-dimensional horse, so we were in trouble early on,” Baffert explained.
Second-place Intrepid, returning after a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in October, was praised by trainer Jeff Mullins. “I didn’t expect him to lead; I thought he’d be in third. But since he broke well, we had to go with it. After such a long layoff, I’m pleased with his effort.”
With this win, Plutarch’s career record stands at six starts with two wins, two seconds, and two thirds, earning over $190,000. He is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Taber, and Derrick Smith of Coolmore Operations, a globally recognized racing and breeding powerhouse. Baffert expressed gratitude, saying, “I’m very pleased with Coolmore’s continued support. We’ve invested a lot into Plutarch.”
For Geroux, the Robert B. Lewis was a fitting welcome to Santa Anita. “I came expecting to find a Derby horse. Bob is a great trainer with six Derby wins, and his record speaks volumes. Riding for him is a huge honor,” he remarked.
Plutarch paid $10.20 to win and was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, closely linked to Coolmore.
[For the latest Kentucky Derby points leaderboard, click here.]
This report was originally published by Paulick Report on February 8, 2026.
Fan Take: This victory solidifies Plutarch as a serious Derby contender and highlights Bob Baffert’s enduring dominance in prep races, intensifying the excitement for the upcoming Kentucky Derby season. For horse racing fans, it offers a glimpse of promising talent and the strategic excellence shaping the future of the sport.
