11/20/2012 4:12PM

Hollywood Park: Baffert takes four shots at Hollywood Prevue

By Brad Free
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Barbara D. Livingston
Super Ninety Nine, who was scratched from the BC Juvenile Sprint, returns in Thursday’s Hollywood Prevue.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Bob Baffert has won the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue a record five times. That number is likely to increase Thursday at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Baffert entered four of the five runners in the seven-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds, race 1 on a Thanksgiving Day program that starts at 11 a.m. Pacific.

All four Baffert runners enter the $100,000 stakes off a maiden win, including well-regarded Super Ninety Nine, the 7-5 favorite. He scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint on Nov. 2 after he was cast in his stall, setting the tone for Baffert’s forgettable Breeders’ Cup.

“That started my bad weekend,” Baffert said. “I blame him.”

Following the scratch of Super Ninety Nine, Baffert’s nine Breeders’ Cup starters produced just one in-the-money finish. Executiveprivilege ran second in the Juvenile Fillies.

It was back to the drawing board for Baffert and Super Ninety Nine, who missed only three days of training.

“Mostly, he was just skinned up,” Baffert said.

Super Ninety Nine has started once, an Oct. 7 win that earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. The runner-up that day was Baffert-trained Shakin It Up, who won next out and also was entered in the Prevue.

Shakin It Up is the 8-5 second choice in the Prevue, with a closing style that complements the front-running favorite. Shakin It Up earned an 86 Beyer winning his second start.

Z Big Apple and Really Mr Greely complete the Baffert quartet. Z Big Apple overcame traffic to win his debut more impressively than the 74 Beyer suggests.

“He broke slow; he needs to be on the lead,” Baffert said. “He’s fast, he’s worked well, and he’s a big, strong horse.”

Really Mr Greely won his second career start, a $100,000 maiden claimer, by more than seven lengths Nov. 4. The four Baffert runners start as separate wagering interests.

“They are all nice horses, and we’ll find out more as we take steps,” Baffert said. “It’s a prep for the CashCall Futurity” on Dec. 15.

The only entrant not trained by Baffert is the filly Heir Kitty, trained by Peter Miller. The Prevue will not be her first try against colts. She won her debut in July and then finished second behind the colt Know More in the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar before a fifth in the Del Mar Debutante.

“We just gave her a break,” Miller said.

Why run against colts again?

“There was really no other spot to come back in,” he said. “On her best day, she stacks up, and she is training well.”

Ollie A. AkBear More than 1 year ago
Its all Shake it up Bob!!
mfunicello More than 1 year ago
The ONLY way to solve the small field problems in California are to not let trainers on the grounds if they wont run their horses. Too many wont run unless everything is perfect and it really sucks for the bettors. Also, stop letting Los Al run anything except quarter horse races. If they can't field enough of those races they should close. Why not run 5K claimers at Hollywood?
Greg Scherr More than 1 year ago
Plus you KNOW he will scratch 1 maybe 2 for a wonderful 3-4 horse field. I know for a fact there were 2 trainers that went to the racing Sec. and asked that this race not be run, heck, don't run a $100k race unless there are 7-8 betting interests as the daily purse money can be enhanced for the benefit of all. In fact I think ALL stakes should be cxl without 7-8 horses, the other thing is that I am sure there are 4-5 other 2yr olds that can run but they don't want to run against 4 Baffert horses and they shouldn't have to. I'm willing to say if it wasn't Baffert they wouldn't run it and they wouldn't without 5 thus you will see the scratches
Big Jeff More than 1 year ago
I agree that a lower claiming ceiling might help, but the purses would have to reflect the expense involved with racing in So. Cal. However, horses running horse that don't belong or are not fit and ready to race would have a negative result. Nothing worse than seeing your horse run completely off form just for the sake of racing. How many time have you wanted to scream" why didn't they just leave that thing in the barn?" that
russell More than 1 year ago
They should cancel this race or make it a non betting race. Ive never seen a race where 1 trainer has 4 out of the 5 horses in the race. What a sad state of racing in California.
chad mc rory More than 1 year ago
He blames a two year old horse...
PeterG More than 1 year ago
Here's an article called "The Chemical Horse" http://www.horsefund.org/the-chemical-horse-part-9.php The writer provides footnotes throughout the article showing where she got her information. About half way down there is a chart showing the following, Frequency of drug violations for horses of the top-earning trainers in the United States (2010) Bob Baffert is 3rd on the list with a drug violation every 465 starters. That info came from the New York Times in 2010. I'm posting this for Barbara Bowen below the biggest Bob Baffert apologist on this site. Or anybody else who thinks Baffert is clean.
Big Jeff More than 1 year ago
Peter,if those were serious violations he would be punished like everyone else. There is no great conspiracy to protect Bob Baffert.You sound quite foollish. Similar to those here who swear there is a jockey conspiracy or any of the others looking to make sense out of loss. Is being late for work the same as showing up at lunch?No. You should find something else to do with your timeand stop your little witch hunt or personal crusade against successful people. What's next re-distribute all earnings of top trainers to those at the bottom?
Ronald George More than 1 year ago
Big Jeff- The last line of your comment, "re-distribute all earnings of top trainers to those at the bottom" should get you a Cabinet appointment with the current administration.
Big Jeff More than 1 year ago
Re-read. I am a conservative.
Ronald George More than 1 year ago
Same here, brother. Like you, I'm a big fan of the successful! I was just being sarcastic. It would have been better if I had put a "smiley face" at the end. :)
B More than 1 year ago
So much hatred for Baffert. Reminds me of Lukas in his heyday. People really don't like it when trainers become TOO famous. Switch those bad feelings to those who deserve it like Dick Dutrow, a man who should be removed from the sport despite his talent. Talent has weight though. If it didn't, Patrick Valenzuela would been long gone a number of years ago.
Horse Cents More than 1 year ago
0 for nine on Breeders cup day. 1 for 4 in the Prevue.
Big Jeff More than 1 year ago
The Breeder's Cup is a very tough day of racing. He has had other poor days at the Cup also. Richard Mandella won FOUR Cup races in one day. So what IS your point?
Anonymous More than 1 year ago
This race sucks! Calracing needs to wake up. I don't see why other trainers weren't opting to put runners in. There are plenty of 2 years old at standing in barns at Hollywood and SA. The only way this race won't suck, if Peter beats all Bob's horses w/ a filly. Sick of seeing small fields designed for Baffert's elite. I don't care if you have to throw in a 12.5 claimer or 3 in the race...do something that makes it beneficial for players, other owners and trainers beside Baffert and friends. F$$$ing joke! And quit w/ the jock excuses, Bob
JDS0810 More than 1 year ago
Sounds like the racing secretary asked him to enter more to make the race go....
PeterG More than 1 year ago
I swear to God that I thought to myself that after the Paynter fiasco (On top of Bodemeister and Secret Circle) Baffert was going to take it easy on the illegal drugs and he wasn't going to do well the rest of the year. I swear to God I thought that. I was considering betting against his horses in every stakes race but I didn't.
Barbara Bowen More than 1 year ago
Peter, Baffert is in the business of pushing young horses to get to and win the Classics. It is what makes stallions and returns on investment for owners. That is why people who aspire to that particular glory and ROI have horses with him. It is why Bob is in the HOF. In getting there, he does have to push young horses. This may stress them and lead to injuries or illness, OR they may get injuries and illness anyway just being, you know, horses. But it does not indicate he uses "drugs." Certainly that is not the reason for Secret Circle's injury, or Bode's shoulder injury that is one that is hard to predict if he comes back 100% from (and in truth he would have been brought back but Baffert had made the colt worth too much damn money as a stallion.) The Paynter story is another deal entirely, but he was worth far too much money to be drugged to death as well. Sigh. I hope you bet against Bob on BC weekend, though.
Jordan More than 1 year ago
Well said.
Horse Cents More than 1 year ago
Barbara, Baffert did not make him a valuable stud, his reasonably good bloodlines, confirmation and natural speed did. It was not due to his Baffert induced accomplishments. He had a five month career with six starts, and one win other than maiden. Hardly something to be proud of. Interesting use of a phrase saying Paynter was worth too much to be drugged to death. I think a better phrase would be almost drugged to death. When you have little patience and want instant gratification and pressure to win, then wouldn't the use of drugs make a horse run faster and further therefore increasing his value? Even if a horse needs a different and more patient route, why push them all toward the early classics? And in doing so sacrificing long term value and best interest of horse and owner. Also why is drugs in quotes? Did you intend another meaning for the word drugs?
Greg Scherr More than 1 year ago
Barbara, can you say EPO http://www.wada-ama.org/en/Resources/Q-and-A/EPO-Detection/ look at this link
Big Jeff More than 1 year ago
Peter G, seeks outgoing conspiracy theorist with horse sense for pari-mutual friendship.