Trip Notes for December 9-10: CashCall Futurity and Starlet

Los Alamitos
CashCall Futurity (race 3)

COMMENT: For a while, trainer Bob Baffert could bask in the glow of not only winning this race for the 10th time but running one-two with highly promising juveniles Solomini and McKinzie. Alas, that thrill was short-lived as Solomini was disqualified from first to third for shifting inward in deep stretch, interfering with Instilled Regard, with McKinzie being moved into the winning slot, so Baffert still got his 10th win in this race. McKinzie, a son of juvenile champion and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, was very impressive in winning his sprint debut at Santa Anita on Oct. 28 and validated that run here as he faced winners for the first time and routed for the first time. From his outside slot in the small field, he stalked while getting bounced out wide as Runaway Ghost and For Him volleyed on the lead through solid splits, remained in stalking mode to the far turn, moved inward for the stretch run, came with a smart rally up the inside to grab the lead by midstretch, continued on well to the wire while shifting out some and wasn’t quite able to fend off his more-experienced stablemate. As noted, he was awarded the win with Solomini’s disqualification. Instilled Regard, a $1 million son of Arch who easily beat maidens in his first route at Santa Anita on Oct. 29, was a bit slow into stride from his rail slot to be last early, moved closer as he came off the rail some going down the backstretch, came with a threatening run into the lane, was head-and-head with McKinzie by midstretch, had to steady when in tight between the two Baffert runners when Solomini, to his outside, came inward, but kept on gamely to be a close-up third. He was moved up to second via the disqualification of Solomini. This outing shows he fits with the top of the division out West. Solomini, a proven commodity coming off back-to-back seconds in Grade 1s, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, stalked the pace while racing alongside his stablemate, got shuffled back on the far turn when shifting out wider for clear sailing, got going again once straightened away in the lane, came with a smart run on the outside, but shifted inward in deep stretch, causing Instilled Regard to steady, while going on to finish first. He was disqualified, but this again proved his mettle as one of the division’s elite, meaning Baffert has at least two to watch for the 2018 Derby trail. He said after the race that he’d likely try to keep them separated, but he also has the schedules of promising soon-to-be sophomores Heck Yeah, Nero, Vision, Mourinho, and St. Patrick’s Day to juggle.

Starlet (race 4)

COMMENT: Dream Tree, a $750,000 daughter of Uncle Mo, made it three wins in as many starts and made it a sweep of the two Grade 1s for trainer Bob Baffert. While Baffert’s more highly regarded filly Alluring Star had to miss this due to illness, Dream Tree showed her quality as she routed for the first time. In the small field, she sat second as Yesterday’s News set a very slow pace, remained there to the top of the lane, took over with ease and drew off to win without really being asked, though the final time was quite a bit slower than the boys about 25 minutes prior. It was interesting that after her sprint-stakes win at Del Mar on Nov. 18, Baffert said she’d likely stay sprinting, but the fact he put her here and that she performed so well opens up more doors. That said, this was by no means the strongest renewal of this race, as none of the top West Coast juvenile fillies ran against her, including the big maiden winner War Heroine, who scratched after being part of the evacuation of San Luis Rey Downs. Yesterday’s News, who won her maiden on dirt before a couple turf tries, including a second last time out at Del Mar on Nov. 5, went right to the lead from her outside slot, was able to set dawdling splits while under modest pressure from Dream Tree, tried to battle back when that gal came to her into the lane, proved no match but stayed on well to be well clear of the others. Piedi Bianchi, twice Grade 1-placed in September and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, was slow into stride to be last from the start, was still last in the small field turning for home, made a bit of a run into the lane but was never a big factor and was only just able to hold third. Of course, with the splits, she was chasing two horses who had plenty left in the tank.