ARCADIA, Calif. – The female dirt division in California lost significant strength with the retirement of two top mares who last time out scored the biggest wins of their career for trainer Bob Baffert – distance specialist As Time Goes By and sprinter Merneith. Baffert said Saturday both 5-year-olds by American Pharaoh have retired to become broodmares. As Time Goes By scored her first Grade 1 victory in the Beholder Mile early this month; Merneith crushed the Grade 2 Santa Monica with a 108 Beyer Figure in February. As Time Goes By could have continued to race, but after becoming a Grade 1 winner, her value as a broodmare skyrocketed. “Mares like that, from such a powerful family, they’re so valuable,” Baffert said. “I could have kept her (to race), but after she won the Grade 1, they retired her to breed her.” The dam of As Time Goes By is Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady, who produced Grade 1-winning colts Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy. As Time Goes By is the first stakes-winning female produced by Take Charge Lady. :: Serious horseplayers use serious products. Get DRF's premium past performances, now free for the first time Owned by Coolmore, plans called for As Time Goes By to be bred to Into Mischief. As Time Goes By retires having won seven races and $955,600 from 14 starts. In addition to the Beholder, she won a pair of Grade 2s at Santa Anita – the Santa Margarita and Santa Maria. Her eight starts at Santa Anita produced five wins and three seconds. Merneith, who won the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes for a second time early this month, also was retired. She won five races and $493,620 from 12 starts. The 108 Beyer she earned last out was the highest by a filly or mare since Baffert-trained Gamine earned a 110 winning the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland. A stallion for Merneith has not been confirmed. Baffert also said Kalypso, winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, was transferred to another trainer at Oaklawn Park. She has won three races and $504,600 from 10 starts. “I sort of emptied out my barn a little bit,” Baffert said Saturday. His 3-year-olds Messier, Doppelganger and McLaren Vale were transferred last week to Tim Yakteen at Santa Anita; Blackadder was transferred to Rodolphe Brisset.