2012 Breeders Cup: Baffert Still Sitting Pretty

When it comes to the Breeders Cup you either come in loaded and ready rumble, or you have your one big horse in your one big race. This year there are a couple connections ready to roll into the Breeders Cup with guns a blazing. One of those is the infamous Bob Baffert.

 

The King of California’s contingent consists of Coil, Capital Account, The Factor, Game on Dude, Rolling Fog, Contested, Executiveprivilege, and possibly even Fed Biz.

 

The Factor is one of the fastest horses in California and will love the speed favoring strip and six furlong trip of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. This race also seems to be the target for both Capital Account and Coil, however, Coil, having won at nine furlongs could easily be caught running in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Should he run there Baffert would have quite the strangle hold on the two predominantly male “sprints.”

 

Just because he’s stacked miles high in the speed department with males don’t think he doesn’t have one heck of a leading lady that could steal away in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Contested romped in the grade one Acorn, but got a little leg weary going longer in the Mother Goose. She was quick to rebound off the poor performance with a smart win in the Test. That gives her two very impressive grade one wins going a mile and under. With her speed and her proven ability going seven furlongs, there is no doubt she’ll be one of the favorites heading into this race.

 

Let’s take a look at Baffert’s play in the juvenile division….  again he holds two cannons. Executiveprivilege, for the Juvenile Fillies, is unbeaten in four starts. She doesn’t win big but will get the job done every time without truly extending herself. Rolling Fog is coming off an impressive win in the Best Pal, where he beat highly regarded Know More. In that race he made a jump from five and a half furlongs to seven look like nothing. He is by the sprinter Posse, however, he didn’t look like he was gassed to win the Best Pal, indicating he will be fine with the added distance of the Juvenile.

 

This leaves us with Fed Biz and Game on Dude. You remember Fed Biz don’t you? Looked like a potential Derby monster before getting sidelined. He returned in the El Cajon, where he showed some grit to beat Jimmy Creed, after locking horns with that horse for virtually the entire race. Now he is pointing towards the Indiana Derby. Should he win that it is almost a given he will be pointed towards the Breeders Cup with eyes for the Dirt Mile.

 

Game on Dude is a name everyone recognizes. He is unbeaten at Santa Anita, and one of his two 10 furlong wins came at this very track. He is the California heavyweight in the Classic division and anyone coming to this stud’s home track better be ready to deliver because The Dude will be on his toes and always relishes a good dogfight.

 

So, as can be seen, even with such defections as Bodemeister and Paynter, Baffert will not be coming into the 2012 Breeders Cup lacking in top, solid horses. With the Breeders Cup being in his territory and being run over conventional dirt, unlike the last two runnings that were held at Santa Anita, there is no reason to believe that Baffert will not have a very, very successful Breeders Cup.