GI LA BREA Attracts 14 Fillies ...p. 3 HEADLINE For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. NEWS www.thoroughbreddailynews.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2007 SWEEP THE (FIRST) LEG, JOHNNY! ‘JAZZ’ SMOOTH IN SIR BEAUFORT WIN The three-year-old gelding Johnny Eves (Skimming) Looking to cap off a big day for jockey David Flores, had to work every step to do it, but was able to dig in Monterey Jazz (Thunderello) made all the pace in the and post the upset victory in the first leg of the Strub one-mile GIII Sir Beaufort S. over Santa Anita’s sod and Series, the seven-furlong GI wouldn’t be caught, cruising home a length clear of the Malibu S., on opening day at hard-charging Mr Napper Tandy (Bahamian Bounty Santa Anita. Owned by {GB}). “I tried to clear early and get him to relax,” ex- Sharon and Carl Hilliard Jr.’s plained Flores, who won four races yesterday, including Mooncoin operation, the 11-1 all three stakes on the card. “I was really happy with Johnny Eves was up to con- the way he was running to the far turn, he was in a test the pace from a three- tight hold and happy.” The Craig Dollase-trained wide perch as he battled Monterey Jazz was making his stakes debut. An allow- through fast :22 and :44 frac- ance winner on the dirt at Fairplex Sept. 21, he ran Benoit photo tions with E Z Warrior (Ex- third in an allowance sprint on the Cushion Track at ploit) and Desert Code (E Santa Anita Oct. 26, then signaled his readiness to Dubai). Let loose in upper stretch as those foes re- compete at this level with a sharp wire-to-wire optional treated, Johnny Eves bounded clear to a daylight lead claiming victory at Hollywood Nov. 10, a race in which and was a length to the good of 42-1 bomb Carrilero at he stopped the clock in 1:32 4/5 for the mile. Cont. p2 the wire. “Down the backside, I was just trying to figure out what the speed was going to do,” said win- DATE SET FOR BAIRD FUNERAL ning jockey David Flores. “At the 5/16th [pole], I just Funeral and visitation dates have been set for Dale decided to go. This horse is very sharp now. We don’t Baird, the winningest trainer in Thoroughbred history know yet how good he is because he’s still learning. who was killed in an automobile accident on Sunday, When I asked him, he really responded well.” Cont. p2 Dec. 23 in Greenfield, Indiana. Visitation will be held tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Greenwell Funeral Wednesday, Santa Anita Home in Martinsville, Illinois, Baird’s hometown. The MALIBU S.-GI, $250,000, SAX, 12-26, 3yo, 7f (AWT), funeral will be held at the same location on Saturday at 1:21, ft. 10 a.m. At the time of his death, Baird had saddled the 1--#@JOHNNY EVES, 117, g, 3, by Skimming winners of 9,445 races, the majority at Mountaineer 1st Dam: Capote's Halo, by Capote Racetrack in Chester, West Virginia, where he was a 2nd Dam: Nueces Strip, by Halo fixture for some 35 years. The affable Baird rarely 3rd Dam: Satan's Pride, by Crimson Satan sported stakes-quality horses in his barn, instead earn- O/B-Mooncoin LCC (CA); T-Jay M Robbins; ing a staggering amount of wins with inexpensive J-D Flores; $150,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-0, claimers, many of which he owned himself. Baird be- $324,720. *First graded stakes winner for came the first trainer to win 7,000, 8,000 and then, in sophomore sire (by Nureyev). 2004, 9,000 races. In 2005, Baird was honored with a 2--Carrilero (Arg), 117, c, 3, Royal Academy--Keno, by Special Eclipse Award for his achievements. Baird and a Mountain Cat. O-R Bone and Desperado Stables; friend, Shelby Bartholomew, were towing an empty B-Don Arcangel (ARG); T-Mike Puype; $50,000. horse trailer when their westbound SUV crossed the 3--Horse Greeley, 115, c, 3, Mr. Greeley--Chile Chatte, median and struck an oncoming car. The occupants of by Storm Cat. O/B-Martha Parfet & R T Parfet Jr that car, two teenage cousins, died instantly, as did (KY); T-Richard E Mandella; $30,000. Baird, who was thrown from the vehicle. Bartholomew Margins: 1, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 11.00, 42.00, 15.70. was also thrown from the SUV but survived the acci- Also Ran: Hurry Up Austin, Les Grands Trois, Ididn'tdoanything, Incriminate, dent. Two other cars and a semi-truck where also in- Silver Stetson Man, Divine Park, Unusual Suspect, Great Hunter, Cobalt volved in the accident. None of the occupants of those Blue, E Z Warrior, Desert Code. vehicles where killed. www.hillndalefarms.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 12/27/07 • PAGE 2 of 11 Malibu Coverage cont. Past Performance... The California-bred Johnny Eves didn’t debut until April, but progressed nicely, breaking his maiden in his third start at Hollywood in June, winning a state-bred allowance at Del Mar in August and an open NW1X at Santa Anita in September. He failed to make an impact as the favorite in his stakes debut, the Nov. 3 Cal Cup Sprint, an effort that confounded trainer Jay Robbins, but Johnny Eves got back on track with a smart op- tional claiming victory at Hollywood Nov. 25. Having essentially run out of conditions for his charge, Robbins decided to take another shot in stakes company here. “We had to take a big leap in faith, but he’s always given the appearance of a good horse,” said Robbins, who was winning just his second graded stakes since Tiznow battled to his second consecutive GI Breeders’ Cup Classic victory in 2001. Gutsy Geldings... For a race that has produced notable sires Round Table, Buckpasser and Damascus, and more recently stallions like Dixie Union and Mizzen Mast, there have been a conspicuous number of geldings who have won the Malibu in recent years. Four of the last 10 renewals have gone to our shear-fearing friends, including Run Man Run (1998), Love That Red (‘99), Debonair Joe (‘02), and yesterday’s winner, Johnny Eves. A Slew of Disappointments... Given that Johnny Eves was the shortest horse in the superfecta at 11-1, it is safe to say there were a few Wednesday, Santa Anita disappointments in the Malibu. Tepid favorite Divine SIR BEAUFORT S.-GIII, $122,100, SAX, 12-26, 3yo, Park (Chester House), returning from a long absence, 1mT, 1:34 1/5, fm. raced evenly and finished ninth. Second choice Les 1--#@MONTEREY JAZZ, 118, c, 3, by Thunderello Grand Trois (Officer) made up some ground to be fifth, 1st Dam: Reefside, by Dynaformer while Grade I winner Great Hunter (Aptitude), another 2nd Dam: Puddie Q., by Loom trying to shake off the rust after an extended break, 3rd Dam: One Quest, by One-Eyed King was 11th, just ahead of stablemate Cobalt Blue (Golden ($85,000 2yo 2006 OBSAPR). O-A and R Stables Missile). Click for the brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com LLC and Class Racing Stable; B-Danzel Brendemuehl catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. (KY); T-Craig Dollase; J-David Flores; $73,260. Lifetime Record: 10-4-0-3, $167,740. *First stakes winner/graded stakes winner for sophomore sire (by Montbrook). 2--Mr Napper Tandy (GB), 118, c, 3, Bahamian Bounty (GB)--Starfleet (GB), by Inchinor (GB). (22,000gns wlng '04 TATDEC; 60,000gns yrl '05 TATOCT). O-La $1,843,750 Canada Stable LLC; B-Mrs N F M Sampson (GB); T-Jack Carava; $24,420. Winner of the Malibu S. [G1] 3--Twilight Meteor, 118, c, 3, Smart Strike--One Over in just his fourth career start Prime, by With Approval. ($57,000 wlng '04 KEENOV; $150,000 yrl '05 FTKJUL). O-Peachtree 2008 Stud Fee: $10,000 Stable; B-Kinghaven Farms Limited (ON); T-Todd A A Taylor Made/WinStar Venture at Taylor Made • taylormadestallions.com Pletcher; $14,652. Margins: 1, NO, 3/4. Odds: 5.40, 12.40, 4.10. GI Malibu S. Johnny Eves (Skimming) gives his Also Ran: Bad Boy, Mast Track, Rutledge Cat, Stoneside (Ire), Adagio (GB), sophomore sire his first graded stakes winner. Warning Zone, No Dream, Silent Soul, Wing Forward (Arg), Whatsthescript GIII Sir Beaufort S. Monterey Jazz (Thunderello) makes (Ire). Scratches: Augment. Click for the brisnet.com chart. all the pace for his first stakes success. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 12/27/07 • PAGE 3 of 11 P R E S U L T S P TDN Feature Presentation GRADE 1 LA BREA STAKES Wednesday, Ellerslie, New Zealand ZABEEL CLASSIC-G1, NZ$200,000, Ellerslie, 12-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:03.81, dead. 1--SIR SLICK (NZ), 130, g, 6, by Volksraad (GB) 1st Dam: Miss Opera (NZ) (SW & GSP-NZ), by Paris Opera (Aus) DIXIE UNION: Easy as 1-2-3 in ‘07 2nd Dam: Brierley (NZ), by Sir Godfrey (Fr) Grade 1 winner DIXIE CHATTER 3rd Dam: Justaz Wealthy (NZ), by Resurgent (Ire) Grade 2 winner MOST DISTINGUISHED O-B N Brown & G A Nicholson; B-Monovale Holdings Grade 3 winner TURF WAR Pty Ltd; T-Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon; J-Bruce Herd; NZ$125,000. *Full to Mr Jinky (NZ), GSP-NZ; Saturday, Santa Anita 1/2 to Shortblackmini (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe), LA BREA S.-GI, $250,000, 3yo, f, 7f SP-NZ.