It's official: Senor Swinger loves turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Senor Swinger, confidently ridden by Robby Albarado, affirmed a fondness for grass when he drew off to a 5 1/2-length victory Saturday in the Grade 3, $220,600 Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis and trained by Bob Baffert, Senor Swinger waited well behind a hot pace set by longshot Shake the Bank before charging to the front in midstretch. He drew off with authority to win the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:47.54 over a firm course, returning $3.40 to win and making him 2 for 2 on grass.

Remind, the 5-1 fourth choice, finished second by a nose over Rapid Proof, with Moonshine Hall another half-length back in a field of seven 3-year-olds.

In his only previous try on turf, Senor Swinger won the Grade 3 Crown Royal American Turf by 2 1/2 lengths on May 2 here. Off that sharp effort, Baffert tried Senor Swinger in the May 17 Preakness, where the colt finished fifth.

Senor Swinger, a steel gray colt by El Prado, is now 4 for 7 overall. The Lewises were in New York to watch their Scrimshaw run in the Belmont Stakes, and Baffert was in California, but the logical progression for Senor Swinger would be for him to run later this summer in the Aug. 16 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park. Assistant John Good deputized for Baffert.

The 7-5 exacta paid $14.60 and the 7-5-3 trifecta paid $64.60.

- Earlier Saturday, Perfect Drift blew out a half-mile in 48.60 seconds at the nearby Trackside training center and was pronounced a definite starter by trainer Murray Johnson for Saturday's $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap. A field of 8 to 10 older horses, led by Mineshaft and Aldebaran, is shaping up for the Grade 1 Foster.