Baffert's secures small slice of history with Grade 1 sweep

Report: USA, Saturday

Los Alamitos: Los Alamitos Cashcall (ex-Hollywood) Futurity (Grade 1) 1m½f | dirt | 2yo

There isn't much history left for Bob Baffert to make in southern California but the west-coast legend broke new ground on Saturday when he became the first trainer to win both the Futurity and the Starlet in the same season.

However, Kentucky Derby hope McKinzie (Mike Smith) needed some help in the stewards' room to maintain his unbeaten record in the Futurity, which used to be run as a feature event at the now defunct Hollywood Park.

McKinzie was caught close home by Baffert-trained stablemate Solomini, the Breeders' Cup runner-up, only for the latter to be demoted for interference with Instilled Regard, who was challenging between the Baffert pair.

As a result, 1-2 McKinzie – a head second at the wire – was promoted to first place in a split decision from the stewards.

"I didn’t think there was going to be a change," said Baffert. "He [McKinzie] had a rough trip around the first turn and he got a little tired at the end. It's a long stretch and he hooked up with him [Instilled Regard] early.

"He [Flavien Prat on Solomini] rode a great race just sitting behind them. Unfortunately, he will lay on horses in the lane and you have to be careful with him. Prat might have gotten a little over aggressive. It's really too bad they took him down. He was the better horse today."

The winner is named in honour of Brad McKinzie, Baffert’s close friend and longtime Los Alamitos executive, who died in August.

Full result

Also on Saturday

Los Alamitos: Starlet Stakes (Grade 1) 1m½f| dirt | 2yo fillies

Dream Tree (Bob Baffert/Drayden van Dyke) completed her trainer's sweep of the winter two-year-old Grade 1 contests with an easy three-and-a-quarter length triumph over Yesterday's News in a paceless race where nothing could get into contention from behind.

Irad Ortiz dominates Caribbean programme

For the first time in a 51-year history, the five-race Clasico del Caribe programme, a sort of Breeders' Cup for horses trained in Caribbean nations (roughly speaking), was held in Florida.

Top US-based rider Irad Ortiz was the star of the show, winning three races headed by the main event, the Clasico del Caribe (Caribbean Classic) for three-year-olds bred in competing nations, which this year numbered nine in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Mexico claimed the $300,000 highlight when the filly Jala Jala (Fausto Gutierrez) stormed to a nine-length victory under Ortiz, who also claimed the Copa Dama on Mexico's Jaguaryu and the Invitational Cup on Coltimus Prime, who is trained in Panama.

Ortiz said: "It's been an amazing day winning three races and a dream come true winning the Caribbean Classic.

"I’ve been following these races from when I was six years old growing up in Puerto Rico,” added the jockey, leading rider in North America this year in races won.

“I’m very happy to just have the opportunity to compete in the Caribe. To win it means so much. It was an amazing day, a dream come true. To other people, winning this race might not be that big. For me, it’s very special. It’s like winning the Breeders’ Cup.”

>> John Velazquez, who also comes from Puerto Rico, landed the remaining two Clasico races on Panama’s El Tigre Mono in the opa Confraternidad del Caribe and Venezuela’s Master Supreme in the Copa Velocidade del Caribe.

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