Can Baffert 'Hot' Streak Continue?
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SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2014 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here CAN BAFFERT ‘HOT’ STREAK CONTINUE? DAN DOES HIS THING Hall of Famer Bob Baffert looks to continue his Mort Fink=s two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan absolute domination of the Hot Springs route to the (Wiseman=s Ferry) kicked off his 7-year-old season with Triple Crown in Oaklawn=s GI Arkansas Derby this a stylish win in defense of his title in Friday=s afternooon. The California-based conditioner has four G1 Maker=s 46 Mile at Keeneland. Ridden like he GIII Southwest S. and GII couldn=t lose by John Rebel S. trophies since Velazquez, the 2010, and seeks his prohibitive 2-5 choice second Arkansas Derby was a bit keen to do title in the same span, more early as he stalked having run one-two with from fourth while in subsequent GI Kentucky between horses on the Derby runner-up first turn. Guided to the Bodemeister (Empire far outside down the Maker) and Secret Circle backside to ensure an Bayern Benoit Photo (Eddington) in 2012. With unencumbered run, the last month=s Rebel winner Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) having stayed home chestnut tugged his way up willingly to be to finish second in last Saturday=s GI Santa Anita Wise Dan (right) holds off Kaigun Derby, Kaleem Shah=s J “TDN Rising Star” J on even terms with GI Coady Photography Bayern (Offlee Wild) steps in. A debut winner (with Gulfstream Park Turf H. Hoppertunity fifth) going seven panels in Arcadia Jan. winner Lochte (Medaglia d=Oro) at the head of the lane. 4, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile more The champ quickly disposed of that rival without much than handled added distance when he left talented effort, and was always doing enough to hold off late- stablemate Tap It Rich (Tapit) 15 lengths back in a one- charging longshot Kaigun (Northern Afleet) by 3/4 of a mile allowance Feb. 13. He earned a 98 Beyer Speed length. Lochte held third, with second choice Za Figure for that effort, and would have been favored in Approval (Ghostzapper) settling for fourth after losing the Mar. 8 GII San Felipe S., but was ruled out the day his position on the home bend. AYou think I could really before the race with a bruised hoof. He appears to have come up with the words to describe that?@ quipped Fink bounced out of that setback in good order, however, when asked for his post-race reaction. AIt=s like a dream- and fired a seven-furlong bullet in 1:23 4/5 from the -the whole thing. He does everything right. [Trainer gate at Santa Anita Apr. 6. Cont. p6 Charlie LoPresti] is the reason he=s the way he is.@ Cont. p3 ‘BOBBY’ GETS BIG TEST IN BLUE GRASS Bobby=s Kitten (Kitten=s Joy) aims to become the third Ken and Sarah Ramsey colorbearer to make it into the GI Kentucky Derby in Keeneland=s GI Toyota Blue Grass S. today. The speedster will be making his first start on a surface other than turf in this final renewal to be run on Polytrack, and will also be asked to cover nine furlongs for the first time with 13 rivals breathing down his neck. An emphatic winner of Belmont=s GIII Pilgrim S. last October, the Chad Brown trainee posted ambitious splits before succumbing to a pair of European invaders late in the GI Breeders= Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 1. Brought Bobby’s Kitten along slowly this term, Bobby=s Chelsea Durand Kitten reemerged with a 1 1/2- length Tampa allowance score over Grade III winner Global View (Galileo {Ire}) going a mile Mar. 8. While Bobby=s Kitten hasn=t quite shown the ability to rate since his debut, his connections believe he can settle. Cont. p7 IN THIS ISSUE CO-PUBLISHERS President: Barry Weisbord [email protected] @barryweisbord Vice President: Sue Finley [email protected] @suefinley BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT No Catching Close Hatches Director of Business Development: Gary King [email protected] Juddmonte Farms’s Close Hatches (First Defence) justified 3-5 favoritism in yesterday evening’s GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn, streaking to a commanding EDITORIAL success from last year’s winner On Fire Baby (Smoke Glacken). California invader [email protected] Stanwyck (Empire Maker) rounded out the trifecta. Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Martini Managing Editor: Alan Carasso Page 4 Racing Editor: Steve Sherack Racing Analyst/Social Media Director: Brian DiDonato Associate Editor: Justina Severni Assistant Editor: Christie DeBernardis Open Letter from Ciaran Dunne Assistant Editor: Heather Likins Assistant Editor: Michael Illiano Two-year-old consignor Ciaran Dunne makes the case for doing away with gallop-outs at juvenile sales. He says: “The days ADVERTISING of how far our horses breeze being dictated by the gaggle of stop [email protected] watches in the grandstand are over. Our breezes shall finish at the Director of Advertising: Alycia Borer wire. Starting at the OBS Spring Sale, our riders will be instructed Art Director: Lia Kusch to drop their hands and rise up in the saddle and allow our Sr. Ad Coordinator/Dir. of Distribution: Sarah K. Andrew Advertising Designer: Amanda Crelin horses to gallop out in a natural fashion upon finishing their Advertising Assistant: Amanda Foster workouts.” Keeneland Photo CUSTOMER SERVICE Page 10 [email protected] Director of Customer Service: Vicki Forbes INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Director of IT: Robert Williams [email protected] EST Race Click for TV Database Admin./Programming Specialist: Gregg Casillo 8:50a Finest Surprise S.-G3, NBY [email protected] 9:20a Dubai Duty Free S.-G3, NBY 9:55a Greenham S.-G3, NBY 10:35p Ballysax S.-G3, NBY WORLDWIDE INFORMATION 3:40p Commonwealth S.-GIII, KEE (Brisnet.com PPs) TVG International Editor: Kelsey Riley 4:11p Shakertown S.-GIII, KEE (Brisnet.com PPs) TVG [email protected] 4:42p Madison S.-GI, KEE (Brisnet.com PPs) TVG Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Sean Cronin 5:13p Jenny Wiley S.-GI, KEE (Brisnet.com PPs) FOX Sports Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Tom Frary 5:30p Las Cienegas S.-GIII, SA (Brisnet.com PPs) HR/TVG [email protected] 5:45p Toyota Bluegrass S.-GI, KEE (Brisnet.com PPs) FOX Sports 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 • Red Bank, NJ 07701 6:27p Oaklawn H.-GII, OP (Brisnet.com PPs) HRTV 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) 7:00p Potrero Grande S.-GII, SA (Brisnet.com PPs) HR/TVG www.thoroughbreddailynews.com 7:07p Arkansas Derby-GI, OP (Brisnet.com PPs) HRTV www.thetdn.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/12/14 • PAGE 3 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Friday, Keeneland Race Course MAKER'S 46 MILE S.-GI, $300,000, KEE, 4-11, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:34 4/5, fm. 1--WISE DAN, 123, g, 7, by Wiseman's Ferry 1st Dam: Lisa Danielle, by Wolf Power (SAf) 2nd Dam: Askmysecretary, by Secretariat 3rd Dam: Laquiola (Fr), by Lyphard O/B-Morton Fink (KY); T-Charles LoPresti; J-John R Velazquez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 2x Horse of the Year, 2x Ch. Older Male & 2x Ch. Male Turf Horse, MGISW 28-20-2-0, $6,473,610. *1/2 to Successful Dan (Successful Appeal), MGSW & MGISP, $998,154; Our Royal Dancer (Roy), SW, $195,070. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. CECIL SEAMAN & CO. purchased dam for $29,000 • 859.293.0561 2--Kaigun, 118, g, 4, Northern Afleet--Cruising Kris, by Kris S. (C$37,000 yrl '11 ONTSEP; $34,000 RNA 2yo >12 FTMMAY). O-Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Horse'n Around Racing Stable & G Barber; B-William Sorokolit Racing Stable Inc (ON); T-Mark E Casse. $60,000. Consigned as a 2yo by Justin Casse Registered Ontario-Bred/CTHS Grad 3--Lochte, 120, g, 4, Medaglia d=Oro--Lemon Kiss, by Lemon Drop Kid. ($475,000 yrl '11 FTSAUG; $60,000 HRA >13 FTNOCT). O-Crossed Sabres Farm; B-Maura Gittins (KY); T-Marcus J Vitali. $30,000. Margins: 3/4, 4 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 37.40, 4.70. Also Ran: Za Approval, Gentleman's Kitten, Alakazan Alakazan (Brz). Scratched: Reload. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO. AHe got a little strong on the backstretch, so I let him get his position to where he was comfortable,@ explained Velazquez of his trip. AFrom then on, he did it very well.@ He added, AThis horse is incredible. They don=t come around that often. He=s definitely a special horse, and he=s proven it the last two-three years.@ Wise Dan began his Horse of the Year defense in 2013 the same way he started 2014--with a Maker=s 46 win. He added Churchill=s GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Derby Day, and overcame some race riding to take a second GII Firecracker H. back in Louisville in June. The Velazquez gelding then swept into Saratoga Coady Photography to successfully defend his GII Fourstardave H. title in August, and effortlessly bested Za Approval for back-to-back GI Woodbine Mile wins in September. He couldn=t quite get to Silver Max (Badge of Silver) in the rained-off GI Shadwell Turf Mile here Oct. 5, but bounced back to defeat Za Approval again--this time by just 3/4 of a length--in the GI Breeders= Cup Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 2. Cont. p4 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/12/14 • PAGE 4 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Maker=s 46 cont.