Clean trip helps Ag Bullet beat the boys in Jaipur

A trouble-free trip made all the difference for Ag Bullet as the five-year-old mare conquered male rivals in Sunday’s $500,000 Jaipur (G1) at Saratoga.

Last year’s Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) winner ended 2024 in hot form, placing third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) and third again in the Matriarch (G1). But when Ag Bullet kicked off 2025 in the Unbridled Sidney (G3) at Churchill Downs, she got shut off on the inside and never had room to challenge, finishing seventh.

Ag Bullet encountered no such difficulties in the Jaipur and responded with a career-best performance.

“Over the moon. It’s been an up-and-down thing with this filly,” said Richard Baltas, who trains Ag Bullet on behalf of owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran. “She was overachieving last year. We tried to get the Grade 1… and now she’s got a Grade 1 win, and she’s a very valuable filly. Last time, you guys saw what happened (in the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs).”

In the Jaipur, Ag Bullet broke from post 9 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and stayed close to fractions of :22.52 and :45.80 while racing safely outside of rivals. Down the homestretch, she wore down pacesetter Coppola and kicked clear to win the 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf dash by two lengths in 1:03.62.

"Man, it was easy,” said Velazquez. “She behaved so well in the gate. They told me she was a little bit nervous and bad at the gate. But man, she was so good, did everything perfect. Broke well like we were expecting to break. One speed goes, and I sat right off of them or third. She allowed me to sit right off of them, and when I asked her to go, she was there for me. It was pretty easy."

My Boy Prince tracked the pace throughout and stayed on for second place by a head over Alogon, who was in turn a nose better than Arzak. Coppola faded to fifth place, while Extendo, Think Big, Our Shot, Bold Journey, and Vinsanity trailed the field.

Think Big started as a clear favorite off wins in the Shakertown (G2) and Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2), but failed to recover from a poor start and was beaten 5 1/4 lengths.

“He didn’t break the quickest,” said Ben Curtis, the rider of Think Big. “We were in the two lane and we were in there a while, waiting for the rest (of the horses to load). He got a little bit keyed up, and that probably cost him in the race, but also the soft ground. He didn’t pick it up like he normally can. He didn’t have a hard race there, and we know how good he is, so there will be a big day in him.”

Originally scheduled to take place on Saturday as part of the Belmont (G1) card, the Jaipur was postponed by one day after heavy rainfall dampened the turf. By Sunday, the Mellon course was labeled good.

“I was more than happy that they (delayed the race one day]),” said Baltas. “I thought they did the right thing. I didn’t know how the turf was going to play today because they didn’t run any races on it. Even though they updated it to good, there were no races to judge it on. I think she would run on anything, except for maybe the dirt. She’s just got a lot of try.”

Winning the Jaipur earned Ag Bullet a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Baltas indicated future plans for the five-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy include a defense of her Ladies Turf Sprint title at Kentucky Downs and possibly one other start prior to the Breeders’ Cup.