Los Alamitos hosts a pair of Grade 1 races on Saturday and trainer Bob Baffert sends out the favorite in both. (Photo credit: Los Alamitos Race Course).
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sends out an imposing duo of fillies in Saturday’s $300,000 Starlet, one of two Grade 1 races for juveniles at Los Alamitos.
A field of six will line up in the Starlet, with 10-4-2-1 qualifying points up for grabs for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) next spring at Churchill Downs.
Baffert sends out 9-5 morning line favorite Chasing Yesterday and second choice Mother Mother, both fillies coming in off stakes victories.
Chasing Yesterday, a half sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah won the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar in her last start while her stablemate Mother Mother wired the field in the Rags to Riches at Churchill Downs in her last outing.
Earlier on the card Baffert sends out the two likely favorites in the $300,000 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1), a race he has won all four times since it was moved from the now closed Hollywood Park. In total Baffert has won this race 10 times, six times when it was called the Hollywood Futurity (G1).
Improbable is the 6-5 morning line favorite and won the Street Sense in his last start at Churchill Downs and Mucho Gusto (3-1) is perfect in two starts, winning the Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar in his last outing.
Bob Hope Stakes Replay
The Futurity is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race, with 10-4-2-1 points to the top four finishers of the race.
Let’s head out to Los Al for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Los Alamitos Race 7 The Starlet G1 (Post time 3:28 PT)
#2 Mother Mother 2-1
#6 Chasing Yesterday 9-5
#1 Vibrance 5-2
#4 Oxy Lady 5-1
Mother Mother
This filly may end up a slightly better price than her stablemate Chasing Yesterday as Baffert has a strong one-two punch here. The Hall of Fame trainer has been lights out in juvenile races, winning 29 with 52 starters (56% with a +ROI) just over the last six months. Our top pick dueled for the early lead and drew clear to win the Rags to Riches going a one turn mile at Churchill Downs last out in her third career start. Her lone loss came two back in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in her stakes debut where she ran second to Bellafina. That filly came back to win Chandelier (G1) in her next start and then was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She owns a good edge in early and mid pace numbers.
Chasing Yesterday
The Baffert trainee is coming off a win in the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar going seven furlongs and makes her two-turn debut. She has plenty of pedigree to handle the extra ground, by Tapit out of a Yankee Gentleman mare that has dropped four other winners including Triple Crown winner American Pharoah ($8.6 million). She looks talented, but I must wonder with this gal is just now making her first start going a route of ground?
Vibrance
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, this filly tracked the early pace and did not have enough punch left in the stretch in a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, beaten six lengths for the top spot at 35-1. She was no match for Bellafina in a runner up finish in the Chandelier two back which was her stakes debut. She is a half to a couple of nice runners in Lideris ($373,834) and Cinder Block ($216,505).
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,6 / 1,2,6
TRI: no play
