Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Dream Tree to keep sprinting
DEL MAR, Calif. – It looks like sprints will be the focal point in the future for the 2-year-old filly Dream Tree, who remained unbeaten with a narrow victory in the Desi Arnaz Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.
Bob Baffert, who trains Dream Tree, said the daughter of Uncle Mo had come out of the race well, but that the Grade 1 Test Stakes next summer at Saratoga is the kind of race he will point her to as a 3-year-old.
“She looks great,” Baffert said Wednesday morning. “I haven’t decided anything yet. I’m looking at the spring, summer, a race like the Test. I think I want to keep her one turn for now.”
That approach would eliminate Dream Tree from coming back in just three weeks for the Grade 1 Startlet on Dec. 9 at Los Alamitos, though Baffert said, “I have been known to change my mind.”
Baffert will run Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Alluring Star in the Starlet. She worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Tuesday at Santa Anita.
Dream Tree has won both her starts, both times holding off Midnight Bisou to prevail in a photo finish.
Mubtaahij tops Native Diver
Mubtaahij will get quite a bit of class relief Saturday when he runs in the Grade 3, $100,000 Native Diver just three weeks after finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds Tuesday at Santa Anita.
The Native Diver, at 1 1/8 miles, is the lone stakes on dirt of the eight stakes run the final week of the meet at Del Mar.
Others entered in the Native Diver were Curlin Rules, Irish Freedom, Irish Surf, Prime Attraction, Top of the Game, and Wild About Deb. Prime Attraction is expected to remain in the Hollywood Turf Cup on Friday.
The primary feature Saturday is the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds, including Mo Town and Sharp Samurai. Big Score, Bowies Hero, Channel Maker, Just Howard, and Souper Tapit are among the others expected for the Hollywood Derby.
John Velazquez will be in town to ride Mo Town. Fergal Lynch rides Just Howard.
Just Howard is trained by Graham Motion, and Lynch and Motion also will team Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf with the French import Thewayiam, who won a Keeneland allowance race last month in her U.S. debut.
A large field was entered in the Durante, with other prominent runners including Data Dependent, Daddy Is a Legend, Fatale Bere, Just a Smidge, Raucous, and Sappho.
Javier Castellano has the mount on Data Dependent for Chad Brown. Castellano is spending the weekend here, as he rides Mrs McDougal for Richard Mandella in Sunday’s main event, the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch Stakes at one mile on turf for females.
Mrs McDougal worked three furlongs in 35.40 seconds Wednesday at Del Mar and went so easily that clockers designated the work as breezing, the lone work of 15 so denoted here Wednesday.
Joel Rosario and Jose Ortiz also are scheduled to be here for the Matriarch, riding Off Limits and Rubilinda, respectively, for Brown.
Santa Anita offers incentives
Santa Anita, whose winter meeting opens Dec. 26, announced it will institute an incentive program to bring horses to California and keep them here.
Called Ship & Stay, the program mirrors Del Mar’s popular Ship and Win program, which pays a bonus for horses who come from out of state for races other than stakes.
Santa Anita’s program, funded by the track and corporate owner The Stronach Group, offers bonuses to owners and trainers for the initial start of a shipped-in horse at Santa Anita, as well as the next two starts.
“Field size is a major concern for us, and by undertaking this new program, we’re hoping to be able to shore up our inventory at all levels,” Rick Hammerle, Santa Anita’s vice president of racing, said in a press release.
◗ McKinzie and Solomini, two of the top contenders for the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 9 at Los Alamitos, both worked five furlongs Tuesday for trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita. McKinzie’s time of 59.80 seconds equaled the fastest of 33 at the distance Tuesday. Solomini worked in 1:00.80.
◗ Jockey Kyle Frey was fined $100 for excessive use of the whip aboard Clifton Beach, the third-place finisher in the final race here Nov. 17.
◗ Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. was fined $200 for failing to attend a video review session with stewards, the second time he was cited for that in a week.