Hollywood Park: Sharp Cat rematches Baffert fillies

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Nearly two months have passed since Georgia dusted Be Proud in a maiden race on Sept. 27, opening day of the autumn meet at Santa Anita.

The 2-year-old fillies trained by Bob Baffert meet again Saturday in the $100,000 Sharp Cat Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, and Baffert believes they are closer in ability than the four-length margin that separated them in September.

“I’ve seen a lot of improvement in” Be Proud, Baffert said. “She came back and won. They are both doing well, and I think they both want to go long.”

Both won maiden races around two turns. Handicappers that accept Georgia’s maiden win at face value will be hard-pressed to back Be Proud. But young horses improve overnight, and while Georgia makes her first start since September, Be Proud has raced since and won. She is a better filly than the first time they met.

Georgia and Be Proud are key players in the 1 1/16-mile Sharp Cat, a prep for the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 7. The six-runner Sharp Cat field is shallow. Two are maidens – Arethusa and Perched. Upset candidates include last-out maiden winner Saintly Joan and stakes-placed Pleasant Miss.

Though sprint-to-route Saintly Joan has some speed, the pace of the Sharp Cat is expected to be controlled by the Baffert fillies in posts 1 and 2 – Be Proud and Georgia.

Early this year, both had Breeders’ Cup potential. Be Proud finished second in her debut July 29.

“I was really high on her after her first race, and we actually supplemented her into the Breeders’ Cup,” Baffert said, referring to a $14,000 payment made by owners Hal and Patti Earnhardt.

Be Proud, however, did not meet expectations, finishing fourth in her next race.

“Hal said, ‘There goes my $14,000,’ ” Baffert said.

Be Proud subsequently finished second in a minor stakes and in the maiden race won by Georgia. She put it all together Oct. 27 in a maiden race at Santa Anita.

Be Proud earned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure wiring the field under Martin Garcia, who rides her again Saturday. Her stablemate-rival is drawn directly to her outside.

Georgia, owned by Peachtree Stable, got her act together more quickly. Her maiden win was in her second start, but Baffert was reluctant to rush her into the Breeders’ Cup.

“She’s a big, leggy filly, and wasn’t ready for something like that,” Baffert said. “I needed to see a lot more to convince me.”

Georgia skipped the Breeders’ Cup to point to the Saturday stakes and another meeting with Be Proud. Rafael Bejarano rides Georgia.

Saintly Joan scored a $21.60 upset in a maiden sprint second time out for trainer John O’Hara. Pleasant Miss has placed in five stakes, all for Jerry Hollendorfer.