Bob Baffert has said Zedan, the record $10.5million Flightline colt, is unlikely to be rushed into an early debut after arriving in his California programme without a published workout.
The two-year-old was bought by Amr Zedan for a record price at the OBS April Sale and has immediately become one of the most watched unraced juveniles in the United States. But Baffert has made clear that the colt’s price tag will not dictate his timetable.
Speaking to Thoroughbred Daily News, Baffert said he was “going easy” with Zedan and viewed him as “more of a fall horse”, adding that the youngster’s talent was already obvious.
Zedan timetable puts patience ahead of hype
The update matters because Zedan is not just another expensive breeze-up purchase. He is by Flightline, the unbeaten Horse of the Year whose first crop is being tracked closely by breeders, buyers and racing fans on both sides of the Atlantic.
Baffert also gave a positive report on Faran, another Amr Zedan-owned prospect, after the $3.4m Not This Time colt won on debut at Los Alamitos on Saturday despite still being green.
That comparison underlines the approach with Zedan: raw ability is not the issue, but timing is. For now, the sport’s most expensive juvenile is being trained with an autumn target rather than an immediate public unveiling.
