Bai and Bai to take on Somethinaboutlaura, turf or dirt
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The presence of Somethinaboutlaura, possibly the best horse running in northern California, combined with the prediction of rain, could affect the field for Saturday's $100,000 California Distaff Turf Championship at Bay Meadows.
But neither is likely to keep Bai and Bai on the sidelines in the one-mile race for California-bred fillies and mares.
Trainer Bill Delia plans to enter Bai and Bai, a $3,200 bargain-basement 3-year-old filly, who returned from a six-month layoff to win her turf debut in the Palo Alto Handicap on Nov. 11.
"Somethinaboutlaura looks awfully sharp," Delia said of the 4-year-old filly, who won the Grade 2 A Gleam earlier this year and has won three straight stakes, including the Cal Cup Matron. "But my filly's doing great, hitting on all cylinders. I think our girl needed the race the other day. My filly worked unbelievably good the other day" - five furlongs in 59.80 on Nov. 29 - "galloping out in 1:12."
With a victory in her turf debut and a win and a nose second to Press Camp in her two tries on wet tracks, Bai and Bai will not be affected by any surface switch should there be rain.
The same holds true for Somethinaboutlaura, who is 2 for 3 with a second on the turf and 2 for 3 with a second on wet tracks.
Delia is realistic enough to know Saturday's race is a tough assignment. A victory by Bai and Bai over Somethinaboutlaura would be an upset even though Bai and Bai has two wins, two seconds, and a third in five starts, all of them stakes, this year.
"I've got a 3-year-old filly turning 4 in January," he said. "She's going to have to knock heads with horses like that, so we're pointing on going."
Somethinaboutlaura carried 124 when she coasted to a four-length victory in the Autumn Leaves and will pick up four pounds Saturday. Bai and Bai will carry 118.
Stakes nominees in Friday feature
Two of the nominees for Saturday's stakes, Beautiful Dixie and Dixie Whistle, are entered in Friday's feature, a first-level allowance race at one mile on the turf.
Beautiful Dixie comes off a third in the Palo Alto Handicap behind Bai and Bai and was third in her previous start as well, trailing Calamity Girl, who is also entered here.
Calamity Girl could prove tough if she gets an easy lead, but the presence of Gemstone Rush could prevent that and set things up for stalkers such as Beautiful Dixie and Patranzi.