Baffert brings one-two punch in Las Virgenes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dream Tree has the established race record. Thirteen Squared has the promise.

Those fillies give trainer Bob Baffert an immense edge in Sunday’s Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile at Santa Anita.

“I think it’s a strong one-two punch,” Baffert said on Friday morning.

The $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes will be the first start of the year for Dream Tree, who ended a three-race unbeaten season in 2017 with an easy win in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos on Dec. 9. Two days earlier, Thirteen Squared won a maiden race at a mile at Los Alamitos by 6 3/4 lengths.

The Baffert-trained fillies are part of a field of six in the Las Virgenes, the fourth race on a nine-race program that begins at 11 a.m. Pacific. The program is scheduled to end about 30 minutes before the 3:30 start of the Super Bowl.

KEY CONTENDERS

Dream Tree, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-77

◗ Owned by the Phoenix Thoroughbreds partnership, Dream Tree won her stakes debut in the Desi Arnaz by a nose going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 18. In the Starlet Stakes, Dream Tree stalked the pace for the first half-mile before cruising to victory by 3 1/4 lengths.

◗ Baffert said Dream Tree has been in steady training this year after she was briefly sidelined by an illness in December. The long-term goal is the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4.

“It’s early in the year,” he said. “The key is to set her up for the Kentucky Oaks.

“The quality is there. She fits. She can do it all. She can be on the lead or sit.”

◗ Dream Tree is expected to have a stalking trip in the Las Virgenes. She’s No Drama, second in the Golden Gate Debutante Stakes at six furlongs on Nov. 24, is likely to set the pace.

Thirteen Squared, by Liaison
Last 3 Beyers: 76-56-28

◗ Friday, Baffert was particularly bullish on the progress Thirteen Squared has made since the maiden win in early December, the filly’s first start around two turns.

“As soon as we stretched her out, she improved,” Baffert said. “She’ll be right there. She wanted to go long.”

◗ Thirteen Squared is owned by breeder Arnold Zetcher. The filly is by Liaison and is out of House of Fortune, who won seven stakes for Zetcher in the early 2000s.

Steph Being Steph, by Majestic Warrior
Last 3 Beyers: 81-74-70

◗ The Las Virgenes will be the first start around two turns for Steph Being Steph, who won the Golden Gate Debutante and was a well-beaten second to Midnight Bisou in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at seven furlongs here on Jan. 7.

“She’ll be good,” trainer Brian Koriner said of the longer distance. “There’s enough speed in there that she can lay off of it.”