Hollywood Park: Drill possible for CashCall Futurity
Drill, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September, but badly beaten in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes in November, may start in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 17.
Trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday that Drill has impressed him with recent workouts, leading to the possibility of a start in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity, which is run over 1 1/16 miles.
Drill worked a half-mile in 47 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday. Baffert could have as many as four runners in the CashCall Futurity, including Liaison, So Brilliant, and Sky Kingdom.
“I’ll see how they work this weekend,” he said.
Drill has won 2 of 6 starts and $248,150. After winning the Del Mar Futurity, he finished second in the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita. In the BC Juvenile, Drill finished 10th, a performance followed by a seventh in the Delta Jackpot.
“Delta was a debacle,” Baffert said.
Baffert said that Secret Circle, winner of the BC Juvenile Sprint last month, will be kept out of the CashCall Futurity in favor of a start at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. One possible early goal for Secret Circle is the $100,000 Sham Stakes over a mile on Jan. 9, although Baffert was non-committal regarding a race goal.
The CashCall Futurity field will include Cozzetti, a Cozzene colt who won a maiden special weight race over 1 1/16 miles by five lengths on Nov. 16.
Dreamcaster retired following injury
Dreamcaster, seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in September, her only stakes appearance, has been retired and will be bred in 2012, Baffert said.
Dreamcaster was diagnosed with a sesamoid injury last month, Baffert said.
“They usually don’t come back 100 percent from that,” he said.
Breeding plans have not been finalized.
Shumoos points to Santa Ynez
The Santa Ynez Stakes is likely to include Shumoos, who finished second to Secret Circle in the BC Juvenile Sprint in her American debut.
Now trained by Ben Cecil, Shumoos won 2 of 6 starts in England earlier this year for Brian Meehan, including the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park.
“I’m pleased with the way she’s settled in,” Cecil said earlier this week.