Baffert may have sleepy giant
ARCADIA, Calif. - Point Determined, possibly the laziest horse in trainer Bob Baffert's stable, may turn out to be one of his finest 3-year-olds this year.
"In the morning, [he] doesn't want to do anything," Baffert said.
will be favored to win his second consecutive race in a $52,000 allowance race at a mile at Santa Anita on Friday.
Point Determined drew the rail in a field of 10 3-year-olds. Baffert considers Friday's race to be an important step for Point Determined, who is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis.
"I'm trying to squeeze another one out of him," he said. "It's baby steps right now. After that, if we get lucky, it's all stakes."
Point Determined won his second start in a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles by 5 1/2 lengths on Jan. 13. Always near the front, Point Determined pulled away in early stretch, easily defeating stablemate Royal Legacy.
Aside from Point Determined, five other entrants are coming off maiden wins: Kilimanjaro, One Lucky Buck, Twisting Road, Wilmore, and Winnin N Grinnin. Kilimanjaro has not started since winning a maiden race at seven furlongs at Saratoga last August. Twisting Road was the
sharp winner of a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park in December.
Point Determined has two opponents with stakes experience, including entrymate , who is trained by D. Wayne Lukas. Short Circuit has started in four stakes, with his best finish a second in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park last July.
One Union, who drew post 2, has run in two stakes, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity last September and eighth in the San Miguel Stakes at six furlongs here on Jan. 8. In the San Miguel, he broke slowly and was never a factor.
is trained by Richard Mandella, who also starts Refinery. A colt by Victory Gallop, Refinery won a maiden race at six furlongs at Hollywood Park by 4 1/4 lengths on Nov. 26, but was only fourth in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles here on Dec. 28.
Following that race, Refinery underwent surgery to have an undescended testicle removed, trainer Richard Mandella said.
* Argentina, who finished second in two Group 1 races for 3-year-old fillies in France in 2005, makes her U.S. debut in a $56,000 optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf in the fifth race. Owned by Wildenstein Stable and trained by Bobby Frankel, the 4-year-old Argentina has two wins in six starts.