Baffert keeps streak alive as Improbable rolls in Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity

CYPRESS, Calif. – Approaching the stretch of Saturday’s Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, jockey Drayden Van Dyke gave the heavily favored Improbable a crack with his whip. Improbable gave Van Dyke the expected response – and much more.

“He’s so cool that he wasn’t trying yet,” Van Dyke said. “There’s so much more he can show.”

Improbable caught stablemate Mucho Gusto with more than a furlong remaining and pulled clear to win the $300,245 Los Alamitos Futurity by a convincing five lengths.

Improbable ended his 2-year-old campaign undefeated after three races, and gave trainer Bob Baffert a record 11th win in the Los Alamitos Futurity. This winter, Improbable will be recognized as one of the leading contenders for the 2019 Triple Crown, a list led by the Baffert-trained Game Winner, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.

Improbable ($2.40) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.18 and avoided the trouble that plagued some of the other runners in the field of six. Improbable earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Going into the turn, Savagery, a 27-1 outsider, drifted out, causing Extra Hope and Dueling to be carried well wide on the turn. Improbable, who broke from the rail, was racing on the inside going into the turn, and avoided the incident.

Mucho Gusto set a moderate pace of 23.25 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.25 for a half-mile, closely followed by Savagery. Improbable was third on the backstretch, racing less than two lengths off the pace.

Van Dyke guided Improbable three wide on the turn before taking the lead.

“At the top of the stretch, he was trying to get him going,” Baffert said. “He’s got that long stride when he gets into it.”

Mucho Gusto finished three lengths clear of Extra Hope, who was followed by Savagery, Dueling, and King of Speed. After an inquiry, the stewards disqualified Savagery from fourth and placed him fifth.

The Los Alamitos Futurity was the first loss for Mucho Gusto in his third start. The colt won the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 17.

“Unfortunately, one of them is no longer undefeated,” Baffert said of his two runners.

“My other horse got a little tired. He’s not as far along as the other horse.”

Joe Talamo rode Mucho Gusto, who raced at 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Los Alamitos Futurity. Talamo was left encouraged by Mucho Gusto’s long-term prospects.

“He’s a hard-trying sonofagun,” Talamo said.

“When he got to the lead, he put his ears up and settled. That’s a huge advantage for a horse to be able to do that. I can feel he’s getting better.

“The winner is a nice horse.”

Improbable, by City Zip, has earned $269,520 from his three races, which include a maiden special weight at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Sept. 29 and the Street Sense Stakes at a mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2, a race he won by 7 1/4 lengths.

Improbable races for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International, and Starlight Racing.

Baffert has won all five runnings of the Los Alamitos Futurity since the race was moved to this venue from Hollywood Park after the 2013 season. Baffert won the race six times at Hollywood Park from 1997 to 2011.