Officer News from Churchill Downs Simulcast Network
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Officer seeks redemption at Hollywood's closing weekend
Trainer Bob Baffert's Officer, the 2-year-old colt who won his first five races so effortlessly that he was promoted as racing's latest wunderkind, will seek redemption from two dramatic setbacks in Saturday's $460,750 Hollywood Futurity (Grade I) at Hollywood Park.
Siphonic, who finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile after overcoming obstacles that compromised Officer, is expected to be a slight favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event that has produced five Kentucky Derby winners during its 20-year existence.
Jerry Bailey, the nation's money-leading rider, was aboard for Siphonic's game effort while racing along the difficult rail path at Belmont Park in the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Bailey will interrupt a vacation for the race, flying from Florida to ride Siphon's son against seven rivals on Saturday.
Officer's reputation unraveled not only when fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but one week later when faltering at 2-5 odds i n the California Cup Ju venile, losing to Yougottawanna and jockey Laffit Pincay Jr.
The loss was the second successive defeat for Officer at the Futurity distance after he had won his first try at 1 1/16 miles in Belmont Park's Champagne Stakes (GI). The Champagne victory followed easy wins by a combined 22 1/2 lengths in four sprint races -- two of them graded stakes events.
"I want to see if he can get a mile and a sixteenth around two turns," Baffert said after deciding early this week to run Officer in the Futurity. "He's training well for it. If he can't get it now, I don't know that he'll ever get it."
Baffert and the Thoroughbred Corporation, the same connections who raced 2001 "Horse of the Year" favorite Point Given to victory in the 2000 Hollywood Futurity, opted for the Futurity over an easier spot previously considered for Officer: the California Breeders' Champion Stakes, a seven-furlong race at Santa Anita on Dec. 28.
Siphonic, trained by David Hofmans for John and Jerome A merman, has only raced three times. After breaking his maiden at Del Mar during the summer, the Kentucky-bred colt won the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (GII) at Keeneland by six lengths on Oct. 6. He took the lead in the stretch of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile while racing along the inside, but settled for third, 2 1/2 lengths behind victorious European sensation Johannesburg.
Publication, who rallied strongly for fourth at 103-1 odds in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is among the Futurity entrants, as is Officer's conqueror in the Cal Cup, Yougottawanna.
With earnings of $685,200 from his 5-1-0 record in seven starts, Officer is the most accomplished starter. He will be ridden for the first time by David Flores and drew post position No. 5. Baffert acknowledged "a lot of unanswered questions" about Officer. "But I think they'll be answered Saturday," he said.
Siphonic, with earnings of $429,982 from his three races, will break from post No. 4. "I've been very happy with him since the Breeders' Cup," Hofmans said. "H e's keeping his flesh and he's keeping his mind."
The complete field for the Hollywood Futurity, in post position order and with assigned rider, is as follows: Brigadier Jones, Garrett Gomez; Mountain Rage, Eddie Delahoussaye; Yougottawanna, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Siphonic, Jerry Bailey; Officer, David Flores; Labamta Babe, Kent Desormeaux; Publication, Mike Smith; and Fonz's, Alex Solis.
