Drill, Creative Cause Headline Norfolk
Drill, an early favorite for the 2012 Kentucky Derby, drew post
position five in a field of six for Saturday’s Norfolk Stakes. Bob
Baffert says the Del Mar Futurity winner is doing well for his first
race around two turns.
“He’s been working good,” said the Hall of Fame trainer, who has
a record five Norfolk wins on his resume. Drill is two for two after
finishing eighth following a slow start in his debut on July 30 at Del
Mar.
“He didn’t have blinkers on and that might have been the
reason,” Baffert said. “We had to school him a lot about five days
before that race and he didn’t break that day. He was back there and he
never got into it. He was just flat.”
The field for the Norfolk, which is the fifth race: Super Candy,
Hector Berrios; Loukas, Patrick Valenzuela; Ruler of Dubai, Mike Smith;
Creative Cause, Joel Rosario; Drill, Martin Garcia; and Basmati, Joe
Talamo. Each carries 122 pounds.
Sheer Talent, sixth in the Del Mar Futurity after winning his
maiden race, was nominated to the Norfolk but is sidelined with “a
lingering cough and a slight temperature,” trainer Dan Hendricks said.
“We had to back off on him.”
Best Pal winner Creative Cause worked four furlongs at Hollywood Park Wednesday in 48.80 for trainer Mike Harrington.