Gimme Da Lute back to one turn in Real Good Deal
DEL MAR, Calif. – Rich stakes on the East Coast can wait until another weekend for Gimme Da Lute, the three-time stakes winner trained by Bob Baffert.
There is a $200,000 race for California-breds at Del Mar on Sunday worth trying first.
Gimme Da Lute will be a heavy favorite in the Real Good Deal Stakes for 3-year-old statebreds at seven furlongs. Already this year, Gimme Da Lute has won the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita in April, the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes there in June, and the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby on July 4.
After the Los Alamitos race, Baffert mentioned races such as Saturday’s $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer and Sunday’s $1.75 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, where the stable will run Triple Crown star American Pharoah, as possibilities for Gimme Da Lute.
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Baffert opted to leave Gimme De Lute at Del Mar after a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 on July 22. The work did not meet expectations, he said. A five-furlong workout in 58.80 seconds on July 27, the fastest of 37 recorded works at the distance, was considered more progressive, Baffert said.
“He worked here, and he got a little tired,” Baffert said. “He came back to work well here the other day.”
There are three other stakes winners in the Real Good Deal field – Richard’s Boy, who won the Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-old turf sprinters at Santa Anita in May; Neveradoubt, the 41-1 winner of the Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds on turf at Santa Anita in May; and Grazen Sky, who won the Silky Sullivan Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds at Golden Gate Fields in April.
KEY CONTENDERS
Gimme Da Lute (Last 3 Beyers: 102-98-84)
Gimme Da Lute is the only horse in the field to record a Beyer Speed Figure of 100 or better, having done so twice – in the Echo Eddie Stakes (100) and the Los Alamitos Derby (102).
While Baffert insists that Gimme Da Lute is better around two turns, there are attractive elements to the Real Good Deal Stakes, he said.
“He’s a Cal-bred,” he said. “It’s seven-eighths.”
Owned by breeders Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Gimme Da Lute has won 4 of 7 starts and earned $457,560. The Real Good Deal Stakes will be his first start around one turn since a third in the Chick Lang Stakes at six furlongs at Pimlico on May 16.
Smack Talk (Last 3 Beyers: 85-41-65)
This is the first time Smack Talk has put together consecutive races within a month. After beating maidens here last July, he did not start again until the Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita last November, emerging from the race with a “little injury,” trainer Vann Belvoir said last month.
Smack Talk made his 3-year-old debut in an optional claimer for California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 10, winning by 2 1/2 lengths at 15-1.
Rocko’s Wheel (Last 3 Beyers: 87-56-89)
Rocko’s Wheel has won his last two starts on dirt, an optional claimer for California-breds at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in April and an optional claimer against open company at a mile at Los Alamitos on July 10.
In between those races, Rocko’s Wheel was a troubled ninth in the Snow Chief Stakes, his only start on turf. Rocko’s Wheel was fourth in the Echo Eddie Stakes behind Gimme Da Lute.