NEWS
Azeri’s first foal entered for debut Wednesday
Posted: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 11:28 AM
Take Control, the first foal out of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, is entered for his career debut on Wednesday in the third race at Santa Anita Park.
The A.P. Indy colt was the $1.9-million sale topper at the 2009 Keeneland April sale of selected two-year-olds in training, more than triple the next highest price. Trainer Bob Baffert bought Take Control, named Vallenzeri at the time, on behalf of Kaleem Shah.
Baffert’s client, Mike Pegram, snagged Eclipse Award candidate Lookin At Lucky for $475,000 in the same sale.
Seven months earlier, Take Control was listed as a record $7.7-million buyback by his breeder, the Allen Paulson Living Trust, in the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale.
The Paulson Trust, represented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, sold Azeri to Katsumi Yoshida for $2.25-million at the 2009 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Martin Garcia will ride Take Control from the rail in Wednesday’s one-mile maiden special weight race. The 4-to-1 fourth choice on the morning line, the chestnut colt drilled a bullet six furlongs in 1:11.80 on December 23 at Santa Anita.
The projected favorite, Brace Yourselves, finished second going 6 ½ furlongs on December 6 at Hollywood Park for trainer Paco Gonzalez and owners John and Cheryl Toffan.
Garcia and Baffert will team with another two-year-old colt, Tiny Woods, in the second race. Tiny Woods finished third in the Golden Nugget Stakes on November 21 at Golden Gate Fields after fading to seventh as the favorite in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) on August 20.
Baffert also entered Indian Firewater in the six-furlong allowance event. The Indian Charlie colt finished fifth in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) on November 21.
The 6-to-5 favorite on the morning line is Sidney’s Candy, who has been out of action since he sped to a four-length win on August 22 at Del Mar in his second start.
