Gimme Da Lute carrying Baffert’s hopes in Los Alamitos Derby

CYPRESS, Calif. – Poor Bob Baffert. Since American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes on June 6, his stable has won only two races in Southern California, including the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 7 with Gimme Da Lute.

“Times are tough right now,” Baffert said on Wednesday. “I got beat a nose in the Gold Cup.”

The Baffert-trained Hoppertunity was beaten by the narrowest of margins by Hard Aces in the $501,500 Gold Cup at Santa Anita last Saturday. Despite the loss, the performance was an indication that the stable is in fine form. This Saturday at Los Alamitos, Baffert is starting Gimme Da Lute in a small field in the $350,000 Los Alamitos Derby.

The Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby will be the first start for Gimme Da Lute at 1 1/8 miles. The colt has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $247,560 for owners and breeders Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.

The Affirmed Stakes at 1 1/16 miles was Gimme Da Lute’s second stakes win, preceded by the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-breds at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on April 4. In between, Gimme Da Lute was third in both the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 2 and the Chick Lang Stakes at six furlongs at Pimlico on May 16.

“We’re all in the same boat,” Baffert said of the distance test. “There’s only one way to find out. We’ve got a fast horse.”

The Los Alamitos Derby will have a small field led by Kentuckian, who won the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita on May 10, and Prospect Park, second to Gimme Da Lute in the Affirmed. Pain and Misery, second in the Pat Day Mile, is another expected starter.

Baffert hoped to run Fame and Power, the winner of the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico on May 16. He said those plans were dashed when Fame and Power was cast in his stall at Santa Anita this week.