Baffert Goes to Great Lengths Today

Beaten once in four starts around one turn, Silver Charm will try a distance of ground for the first time today in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes, the final prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

A distant second in his career debut, the gray son of Silver Buck came back to beat maidens and win the Del Mar Futurity in his other starts last year, then was an impressive victor in the seven-furlong San Vicente in his initial try of 1997 on Feb. 8.

After developing a slight temperature, he skipped the recent San Rafael, but worked a mile in 1:39 3/5 on March 5 and his pedigree says he should have no trouble with the added distance of the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe.

“Everything looks good, he’s ready to roll,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “He’s as ready as I can get him for this race and he’ll really be ready for the Santa Anita Derby.”

Coupled in the betting with with Constant Demand, who is also owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, Silver Charm is the 8-5 favorite in the San Felipe and the entry will be opposed by seven other 3-year-olds.

Making his first start since Nov. 17 and first for trainer Richard Mandella, Holzmeister is the 5-2 second choice. A 17-length winner of the Hawthorne Juvenile when last seen, the Woodman colt was flattered Friday when Touch Gold, a colt he beat in a stakes at Woodbine on Breeders’ Cup Day last Oct. 26, was an impressive winner in his 1997 debut. Both Holzmeister and Touch Gold are owned by Frank Stronach.

“My expectations of him are high,” said Mandella, who has won the race two of the last three years with Soul Of The Matter and Afternoon Deelites. “He trains like he’s a legitimate Derby contender. He’s a very good work horse. He does everything you ask of him.”

The field also includes Steel Ruhlr, King Crimson, Effect, Free House(second to Silver Charm in the San Vicente), Stolen Gold and Daylight In Dubai.

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Jockey Corey Black, who has had far more seconds and thirds than victories at the Santa Anita meeting, picked up his first stakes victory of the season when 14-1 shot Latin Dancer rallied to beat King Of Swing and nine other 3-year-olds in the $107,850 Baldwin Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita. He won by 2 1/4 lengths and completed the about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:14 2/5.

Owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel and trained by Randy Bradshaw, Latin Dancer appears to have found a home on the turf in that he preceded his Baldwin victory with a second-place finish to the promising P.T. Indy in the one-mile Pirate Cove last month.

“He ran very well on the grass last time and I didn’t know him the other day,” said Black. “I might have taken a little too much hold of him, but he was definitely second best that day.

“The field was really bunched today as they crossed the dirt. I knew I had horse, so I thought I’d just get him outside in the clear. He got a little unbalanced when he switched leads, but once I got him straightened away and hit him left-handed, he ran away from them nice.”

Horse Racing Notes

Seven horses who have won the San Felipe have gone on to win the Santa Anita Derby, most recently, Sunday Silence in 1989. . . . Rotsaluck, who is trained by Vladimir Cerin for owner Loyal Crownover, won the $125,000 Phoenix Gold Cup Saturday at Turf Paradise. Scott Stevens rode the winner, who won in 1:08.