NEWS
Baffert back for working vacation at Saratoga
Posted: Thursday, July 31, 2008 5:21 PM
by Phil Janack
Last summer, trainer Bob Baffert shipped in from California to unveil some impressive two-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course, including eventual champion Indian Blessing.
This year, Baffert is keeping a full-time string at the Oklahoma training track, including the now three-year-old filly, who he has entered the $250,000 Test Stakes (G1) on Saturday.
Indian Blessing drew the outside post in the field of six for the seven-furlong Test and will carry high weight of 122 pounds.
Baffert, who was on the Saratoga backstretch for the first time on Thursday morning, will saddle two-year-old colt Spaniard in Saturday's second race, a $62,000 maiden sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs.
"I have some two-year-olds here," he said. "We're just giving them outs and see what we have here. I don't want to jinx any of them. It's a fun time of the year. This is when you get your two-year-olds ready and hope that you have the next big horse."
Baffert also will have 2007 Adirondack Stakes (G2) winner More Happy in the $80,000-added Flanders on the Test undercard and has Under Serviced pointed toward the $150,000 Statue of Liberty for three-year-old New York-bred fillies on August 7.
Midnight Lute, the champion sprinter of 2007, is coming back from injury and could wind up in the seven-furlong Forego Stakes (G1) on August 30, a race he won last year en route to the Eclipse Award. He also is also being considered for the Pat O'Brien Handicap (G2) on August 24 at Del Mar, where he is based.
"It depends on his next couple works," Baffert said. "He worked the other day. He looks good.
"The thing about here is you think you have a good one, boy, and you put them in the gate and it's like, 'I hope they're good enough.' You've got to take your first string if you want to win up here. It's tough."
In addition to racing, Baffert plans to attend Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Selected yearling sale on August 4-5.
"This is like a working vacation," he said. "It's a good gig."
Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
