Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Baffert has strong pair pointed to CashCall Futurity
CYPRESS, Calif. – McKinzie, an exciting maiden race winner at Santa Anita in October in his debut, and Solomini, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last month, give trainer Bob Baffert an ultrastrong team for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity on Dec. 9.
Baffert has won the $300,000 race a record nine times – on six occasions at Hollywood Park and the first three runnings at Los Alamitos from 2014-16. Last year, Baffert won the CashCall Futurity with Mastery, who was the future-book favorite for the Kentucky Derby until he sustained a leg injury after a win in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in March.
McKinzie and Solomini are expected to be joined in the 1 1/16-mile race by Greyvitos, the winner of the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 11; Instilled Regard, a maiden race winner at Santa Anita on Oct. 29; and Runaway Ghost, who won the six-furlong Golden Nugget Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 11.
The CashCall Futurity is part of the richest day of the track’s three-week December meeting and is run on the same program as the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes, a $300,000 race for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
Baffert has two runners for the Starlet – Alluring Star, who was second in the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4, and the unbeaten Dream Tree, winner of the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 18.
Other candidates are Piedi Bianchi, who was fifth in the BC Juvenile Fillies; War Heroine, a maiden race winner at Del Mar on Nov. 12; Miss Mo Mentum, who won an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 16; and Exuberance, a maiden race winner at Santa Anita in October.
Vision catches the eye
Vision, a $500,000 auction purchase earlier this year, won his debut in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on Thursday, a distance well short of what should be the colt’s specialty.
Ridden by Mike Smith, Vision closed from fourth in the long stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the 8-5 favorite. Vision quickened noticeably after Smith moved the colt toward the inside in the final furlong.
“He’s really big, but he’s quick,” Smith said. “When I let him drop down, he gave me another gear.”
Vision ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.79. Trained by Bob Baffert for a partnership that includes China Horse Club International, SF Racing and WinStar Farm, Vision was bought for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training in March.
Vision is by Orb, the winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
Paradise Woods in fine fettle
Paradise Woods, third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 3, is progressing toward the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 in excellent form, trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday.
Mandella said he was encouraged by the way Paradise Woods worked a half-mile in 49 seconds at Santa Anita on Wednesday.
“She’s just good,” he said. “It’s the same thing we’ve seen all
year. She came out of the race in good shape and there’s no reason not to try it.”
Wednesday’s workout was the first for Paradise Woods since the BC Distaff.
Owned by Marty and Pam Wygod and Steven Sarkowsky, Paradise Woods finished 3 1/2 lengths behind winner Forever Unbridled in the BC Distaff. The $300,000 La Brea Stakes is run at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies. Earlier this year, Paradise Woods won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita, races run at 1 1/16 miles.