Hollywood Park notes: Baffert spreading the talent around

Benoit & Associates

Blueskiesnrainbows, with Joe Talamo riding, wins the Swaps.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will need the entire nation to keep apart his deep roster of 3-year-olds in coming months.

With horses such as Bodemeister, the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and Paynter, second in the Belmont Stakes, leading the team, Baffert added another horse to watch on Wednesday when Blueskiesnrainbows won his first stakes in the $150,000 Swaps Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Blueskiesnrainbows was third in the Santa Anita Derby in April and ninth in the American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 4. Baffert said after the Swaps that Blueskiesnrainbows could start on turf or dirt in his next start. Thursday, he said a decision on the colt’s next start has not been planned.

“I won’t make that call for a couple of weeks,” Baffert said.

Paynter is bound for Saratoga, where he will run in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on July 28 and the $1 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 25.

Bodemeister is being pointed for the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 29.

In the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes, Blueskiesnrainbows led throughout the race over 1 1/8 miles, setting a slow pace. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Blueskiesnrainbows held off a late threat from Nonios to win by three-quarters of a length. The Baffert-trained Liaison finished third.

“It helped to have two in there,” he said.

Baffert said another turf race is a possibility for Blueskiesnrainbows despite the loss at Churchill. Baffert said that Bluesskiesnrainbows “shipped horribly” to Churchill.

At Del Mar this summer, the main races for 3-year-olds are on turf, beginning with the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 11. The top race for 3-year-olds at that meeting is the $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.

Owned by Bad Boy Racing and Whizaway Farms, Blueskiesnrainbows has won 3 of 8 starts and $221,242. The winner of a $30,000 claiming race for maidens in January, Blueskiesnrainbows won a starter allowance in February, his most recent win before Wednesday.

I’ll Have Another to be paraded

I’ll Have Another, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, will be paraded between the third and fourth races on Saturday.

Sunday, the retired 3-year-old will enter quarantine before being sent to Japan later this summer, trainer Doug O’Neill said earlier this week. I’ll Have Another will begin a stud career in Japan next year.

O’Neill and I’ll Have Another’s jockey, Mario Gutierrez, will sign autographs in the paddock from 12 to 1 p.m.