Santa Anita news: Baffert's approaching his next milestone
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Bob Baffert, already with a resume good enough to be in the Hall Fame twice over, is approaching another milestone: career victory number 3,000.
The two-time Triple Crown winner, who celebrates his 67th birthday Monday, has eight wins through eight days of Santa Anita’s Winter Meet and 2,995 overall from 13,214 starters.
He also has 2,227 seconds, 1,818 thirds and purse earnings of $295,321,592, enough to balance the budget of a third-world country.
Discussing the approaching signature triumph with trainer Ron McAnally this morning at Clockers’ Corner, Baffert asked the 87-year-old fellow Hall of Fame member how many career wins he had.
That was old school to McAnally, in his golden years his priorities long since realigned.
“I’ve stopped counting,” he said. (Actually, it’s 2,587).
Freshened Heck Yeah Returns In Cal Cup Sprint
Heck Yeah, who tailed off after starting his career with three wins, returns to action in Saturday’s $150,000
California Cup Sprint at six furlongs after an absence of 10 months.
“There were no serious issues,” explained Bob Baedeker, who owns the 5-year-old California-bred son of Acclamation along with Constance Pageler and Michael Sigband. “We just freshened him up."
“We brought him back after his 2-year-old run and didn’t do too well. It was due to the competition and also he didn’t seem to have the spark. We gave him more time, and fingers crossed, he’s showing that old fight now, so we’re hoping for the best.”
Heck Yeah worked five furlongs Sunday morning in a minute flat for Baffert.
Newcomer Rispoli Well Received at Santa Anita
Umberto Rispoli is a new name to California but under the tutelage of world-class agent Ron Anderson, it could become familiar in a hurry if his first eight days riding at Santa Anita are an indication.
The 31-year-old is a native of Italy, where he won riding championships in 2009 and 2010, most recently having ridden in Hong Kong. Through the first eight days of Santa Anita’s Winter Meet, Rispoli has four wins, four seconds and two thirds from 20 mounts.
“The reception for Mr. Rispoli so far has been good,” said Anderson, who also represents Joel Rosario, the current meet leader with 12 wins.
“Umberto has ridden all over the world, dirt, turf, sprints, routes, for all kinds of people, won graded stakes everywhere he’s been.
“He’s a newcomer here but he’s been well received. We’re very excited and business is picking up every day. He’s opened some eyes with a couple of his rides already, so we’ll see what happens moving forward.”
FINISH LINES: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and Eclipse Award contender Storm the Court worked five furlongs Sunday in 1:00.60 for Peter Eurton with Flavien Prat in the irons. Triple Crown hopeful American Theorem had his first breeze as a three-year-old, going three furlongs in 39.20 for trainer George Papaprodromou. There were 193 recorded workouts this morning, 28 on the training track
. . . Andrew Lerner is considering the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 15 for Queen Bee to You after the former claiming horse won her third straight stakes, the Grade 3 La Canada Saturday by a pulsating nose under Ruben Fuentes.
“She’s a gritty little thing,” the 30-year-old trainer said of the 6-year-old California-bred daughter of Old Topper, who earned a Beyer Speed figure of 86. “She got headed two or three times down the lane but just fought back. Horses like her don’t come along too often. It was a great ride by Ruben and it was a helluva race."
. . . Brazilian-bred Jolie Olimpica, impressive 1 ¼ length winner of yesterday’s Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes in her U.S. debut for Richard Mandella, earned a 98 Beyer in the process
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