Baffert has strong pair for CashCall Futurity

CYPRESS, Calif. – McKinzie, an exciting maiden race winner at Santa Anita in October in his debut, and Solomini, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last month, give trainer Bob Baffert an ultra-strong team for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity on Dec. 9.

Baffert has won the $300,000 race a record nine times – on six occasions at Hollywood Park and the first three runnings at Los Alamitos from 2014-16. Last year, Baffert won the Los Alamitos Futurity with Mastery, who was the future-book favorite for the Kentucky Derby until he sustained a leg injury after a win in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in March.

McKinzie and Solomini are expected to be joined in the 1 1/16-mile race by Greyvitos, the winner of the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 11; Instilled Regard, a maiden race winner at Santa Anita on Oct. 29; and Runaway Ghost, who won the six-furlong Golden Nugget Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 11.

The Los Alamitos Futurity is part of the richest day of the track’s three-week December meeting and is run on the same program as the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes, a $300,000 race for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Baffert has two runners for the Starlet – Alluring Star, who was second in the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4, and the unbeaten Dream Tree, winner of the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 18.

Other candidates are Piedi Bianchi, who was fifth in the BC Juvenile Fillies; War Heroine, a maiden race winner at Del Mar on Nov. 12; Miss Mo Mentum, who won an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 16; and Exuberance, a maiden race winner at Santa Anita in October.