Baby Yoda

This Florida-bred gelding debuted in a $10,000 maiden claiming race at Pimlico on May 30, 2021. Sent off as the 6.50-1 fourth choice in the seven-horse field, he pressed the pace and drew away in the stretch to win by eight lengths. 

After a third-place finish in a first-level allowance optional claiming race at Pimlico on June 26, Baby Yoda was privately purchased and transferred to trainer Bill Mott. He made his first start for Mott at Saratoga on July 17, and won a starter allowance race by 1 1/4 lengths in a gate-to-wire performance.

Baby Yoda came to national attention in a first-level allowance race at Saratoga on Sept. 4. He drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in a blistering 1:14.33. 

On the strength of that win, Baby Yoda was the 3-2 second choice in the Grade 2 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 9. He briefly pressed the pace but flattened out and finished third. As the odds-on choice in the Steel Valley Sprint Stakes at Mahoning Valley Race Course on Nov. 21, he faded to finish seventh, beaten 4 3/4 lengths. 

Baby Yoda capped his 3-year-old season with a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes behind the very impressive Flightline on Dec. 26. He made his 2022 debut several weeks later, in the Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12. He lost a stretch duel to Bank On Shea in a game performance. 

In his next start, Baby Yoda dropped in class to a starter allowance race at Keeneland on Apr. 14. As the odds-on choice, he rated off the pace and drew off to an easy victory.