Merneith kicks off Baffert’s perfect Breeders’ Cup Saturday

Merneith ran down a stubborn Motivated Seller in the final strides to win the $125,000 Fort Springs S. Saturday at Keeneland, foreshadowing a spectacular day for the Baffert stable.

Making her first stakes start since a third in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) in early June, Merneith was well of the pace early in the six-furlong Fort Springs. She made up ground on the turn and was four wide coming into the stretch. Mernieth and Motivated Seller staged a final furlong battle that went to the winner by a neck in 1:09.35 on the fast main track.

A 3-year-old daughter of Baffert’s 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Merneith is owned by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud and has now earned $201,900.