Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Abel Tasman goes to Baffert
ARCADIA, Calif. – Abel Tasman, the Grade 1 winner whose runner-up comeback last weekend at Santa Anita reaffirmed her status as one of the country’s top 3-year-old fillies, was transferred Thursday from trainer Simon Callaghan to Bob Baffert.
The move, orchestrated by co-owner China Horse Club, was the result of an apparent mix-up in silks worn by jockey Joe Talamo last weekend when Abel Tasman finished second to Unique Bella in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes.
China Horse Club purchased a 50 percent interest in Abel Tasman from breeder and co-owner Clearsky Farms after her victory in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Starlet in December. It was intended that she carry China Horse Club colors in the Santa Ysabel. Prior to race day, Callaghan said he confirmed with the silks room that the colors were available.
However, Callaghan said, when Talamo came to the walking ring, he was wearing the Clearsky colors. Talamo was asked to return to the room and change into the China Horse Club silks, but the silks could not be located. Talamo wore the Clearsky silks.
“They moved her purely because of the silks,” Callaghan said. “It’s a pretty heartless thing to do. China Horse Club brings a lot of money into the game, but they bring no class.”
A phone call Thursday to China Horse Club representative Mick Flanagan seeking comment was disconnected during conversation. Flanagan did not return a phone message seeking comment.
The move was a major blow to Callaghan, who developed Abel Tasman from an unraced 2-year-old into one of the leading members of her division. The filly, by Quality Road, has won three of five starts and is considered a leading prospect for the Kentucky Oaks.
Baffert, who trains Kentucky Derby prospect American Anthem for an ownership group that includes China Horse Club, said he got the call Wednesday.
“I was surprised,” Baffert said. “They said they were going to move her no matter what, and they asked me.”
The filly was transferred Thursday morning to the Baffert stable. Plans for her next start are pending.
Champagne Room has surgery
Champagne Room, the 2016 champion 2-year-old filly, will be out of training until early summer after undergoing surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle Wednesday.
Trainer Peter Eurton said Thursday that Champagne Room emerged from the operation with no complications and will be given a 90-day rest before an expected return to training in the second half of June.
“It went very well,” Eurton said. “I’ve had so many comebacks from this type of injury. She’s only 3, and I’d love to run her at 4.”
Eurton said the bone chip was detected after a nuclear scan.
“I do that to catch something that could be devastating,” he said.
Owned by a partnership that includes Sharon Alesia, Joe Ciaglia, and Gulliver Racing, Champagne Room has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $1,310,600. The highlight of her 2-year-old season was an upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita.
Last summer, Champagne Room won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar in her stakes debut. She was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last September.
In her only start this year, Champagne Room was third in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile Feb. 5 behind Unique Bella, who has emerged as the leading 3-year-old filly in the nation with three graded stakes wins this year.
Sircat Sally tests open company
The undefeated Sircat Sally has won two stakes for California-breds and is probably not leaving home soon.
Sircat Sally will race outside of the statebred division for the first time Saturday in the $75,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Santa Anita. She won the California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf here Jan. 28.
“She’s been very steady,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday.
In the coming months, Sircat Sally is more likely to run in the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-breds here May 29 than to travel out of town, Hollendorfer said.
“For now, we’ll leave her here,” he said.
Sircat Sally is part of an oversubscribed field of 14 in the China Doll, which will have a safety limit of 12 starters. Sircat Sally has led or stalked the pace in all three of her starts and is expected to be near the front in the China Doll.
“She can be patient,” Hollendorfer said.
The China Doll field includes the first four finishers of the Sweet Life Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course Feb. 12 – Miss Sunset, Miss Sugars, Go On Mary, and Madam Dancealot.
Miss Sunset won her turf debut, and second stakes, in the Sweet Life, leading throughout to prevail by a half-length over Miss Sugars, the winner of the Blue Norther Stakes at a mile on turf Dec. 29.
Miss Sunset will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado on Saturday in her first start around two turns.
“Her pedigree is no problem for that,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “If we can harness her speed, it will help. She’s got a lot of try in her.”