Mountain Rage struts turf stuff
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Mountain Rage is determined to be a turf star for trainer Bob Baffert.
Best known for his success with dirt horses, Baffert has a turf horse to follow in Mountain Rage, who won his first stakes in Saturday's $200,000 Generous Stakes* (click here for chart) at Hollywood Park.
Owned by George Jacobs and Jill Moss, Mountain Rage ($12.80) finished a mile on turf in 1:40.31 on a course rated good. He was supplemented to the Generous for $10,000 after finishing second in the Pinjara Stakes at Santa Anita last month.
"I had him in the Futurity, but not in this," Baffert said. "We were hoping he'd be a dirt Derby horse," said Baffert, "but I think he's a good turf horse."
Ridden by David Flores, Mountain Rage was third on the backstretch, stalking pacesetters Kith and Paxtecum. Even though Mountain Rage was passed by Miesque's Approval on the final turn, he remained in contention.
In early stretch, Miesque's Approval took over from Paxtecum, but Mountain Rage rallied on the inside to win by a head.
Miesque's Approval, the winner of the Pilgrim Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 6, finished 4 1/2 lengths in front of National Park, who closed from seventh.
Paxtecum was fourth, followed by Hot Trotter, Kith, Red Briar, and Ecstatic, who was eased. Stage Call, a stakes winner at Keeneland last month, was scratched after being reported as sick.
Turf Express: Swept Overboard, just
Swept Overboard left it to the last stride before stealing a win from the hard-luck Speak in Passing in Friday's $200,000 Hollywood Turf Express.
Ninth in a 10-horse field on the final turn, Swept Overboard ($4.20) rallied wide under Eddie Delahoussaye to get up by a nose at the line, finishing 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:01.86.
"I think I aged five years," owner Paul Reddam said after waiting three minutes for the result to be announced.
Making his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Swept Overboard carried 122 pounds, one fewer than the European import Nuclear Debate, who finished fifth.
Trained by Craig Dollase, Swept Overboard has won three stakes this year, including the Grade 1 Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last month.
Dollase said Swept Overboard will be given a break and may be stretched out next year.
Runner-up Speak in Passing finished second in two turf sprints in November. On Nov. 5, he lost by a half-length to the Dollase-trained El Cielo in the Morvich Handicap at Santa Anita.
In the Turf Express, Speak in Passing finished a half-length in front of Blu Air Force. Both are trained by Bobby Frankel.
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