Baffert wants Concord Point to relax

ARCADIA, Calif. - Concord Point displayed a sort of brilliance in his career debut last December that had trainer Bob Baffert buzzing about the colt's potential and dreaming about the Triple Crown races.

The hopes are still there, but Concord Point will not have an impact on the Triple Crown. Instead, Concord Point may be a colt to watch this summer if he runs well in Wednesday's sixth race at Santa Anita.

Concord Point makes the third start of his career in a $46,000 allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs. The sprint for 3-year-olds will be Concord Point's first start since a fourth as the 1-2 favorite in an optional claimer Feb. 12.

"That was a throw out," Baffert said. "He broke a little slow and took off."

Concord Point will race without blinkers for the first time Wednesday. Baffert said he missed training time with Concord Point in late February. The colt has had four recorded workouts since March 3.

"I've got to get him to relax a little bit," Baffert said.

Owned by Kaleem Shah, Concord Point won a maiden race over 6 1/2 furlongs in his career debut Dec. 26, closing from fourth to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

"He's really fast," Baffert said. "He was so fast the first time out."

Concord Point is part of a field of seven. Lions Story will be well-backed. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Lions Story has not been worse than third in four starts, including a nose loss in an allowance race March 11.

Two runners in the field have stakes experience - Domonation and Yogaroo.

Domonation was third in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes here in January and was later fifth in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February and fourth in an allowance race March 11. Domonation is trained by the red-hot John Sadler, who won the Santa Anita Derby and Arkansas Derby on the last two weekends.

Yogaroo was ninth in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in England last June and 10th in the I'm Smokin Stakes at Del Mar last summer. Yogaroo is making his first start for trainer Jeff Mullins on Wednesday.

Yogaroo showed speed last year, but Mullins thinks the gelding could be more patient this season.

"He kind of acts like he might want to go long," Mullins said.