Scattering Mink looks to spoil Baffert's day

CYPRESS, Calif. – The promising 3-year-old filly Scattering Mink may be the only thing that can prevent trainer Bob Baffert from winning yet another maiden special weight race at Los Alamitos on Thursday.

Baffert has been particularly dominant with 2-year-olds in recent months, winning 20 races with juvenile maidens since the start of the Del Mar summer meeting in July.

Thursday’s second race is a maiden special weight race for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Scattering Mink, trained by Richard Mandella, is part of a field of six that includes two runners trained by Baffert – the first-time starter Withholding Info and A Little Unruly, who was second here in July in her only start.

The field also includes Creative Contessa, who was fifth as the 4-5 favorite in a similar race at Del Mar on Nov. 11; Ria Munk, fourth at Santa Anita last February in her lone start; and Mela Jones, who has not raced since finishing seventh at Santa Anita last April.

There is a carryover of $36,876 in Thursday’s $2 pick six, which covers the third through eighth races.

Thursday’s program is the start of the second and final week of the Los Alamitos winter meeting, which concludes Sunday. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting has its customary opening day on Dec. 26.

KEY CONTENDERS

Scattering Mink, by Scat Daddy

◗ Scattering Mink recently caught Mandella’s attention with a half-mile workout in 48.20 seconds from the gate on Dec. 3. Mandella timed Scattering Mink in that workout going three furlongs in 35 seconds. He expects her to show speed under jockey Flavien Prat.

“She’s trained pretty sharp,” Mandella said. “She’s done what we’ve asked and more each time.”

◗ Owned by Theiline Scheumann, Scattering Mink is out of A P Mink, an A.P. Indy mare who was winless in one start. A P Mink is a half-sister to two stakes winners – Palmeiro, who earned $475,331, and Slews Final Answer, a five-time stakes winner who earned $358,567.

Withholding Info, by Midnight Lute

◗ Withholding Info is the first foal to race out of Executiveprivilege, who won 5 of 10 starts and earned $999,000 in a career highlighted by two Grade 1 wins in 2012 – the Del Mar Debutante and Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita.

◗ Executiveprivilege is a half-sister to the popular Hoppertunity, a 7-year-old who retired earlier this year after winning 9 of 34 starts and earning $4,712,625.

◗ Baffert trained Executiveprivilege and Hoppertunity.

“She’s bred to be a good one,” he said of Withholding Info.

◗ Withholding Info has been based with Baffert’s division at Los Alamitos, which is under the direction of assistant Mike Marlow.

A Little Unruly, by Violence
Beyer: 69

◗ A Little Unruly closed from fifth and was beaten a half-length in a maiden special weight race here July 4.

◗ A Little Unruly, who drew the outside post on Thursday, has shown a steady pattern of workouts, including five furlongs in 59.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Dec. 8.

“Her last two works have been pretty good,” Baffert said.