Baffert Sets Record for Victories in Meet

Trainer Bob Baffert, who won the first race of the Oak Tree meeting, closed the season at Santa Anita on Monday by setting a record.

Del Mar Gray’s come-from-behind victory in the seventh race and National Saint’s win in the ninth gave Baffert 21 wins for the meeting, that figure breaking the record of 19 he shared with Mike Mitchell.

Baffert has been the most-victorious trainer in three of the last four major meets in Southern California this year, missing only at Hollywood Park. Craig Dollase led the spring-summer season there with 19 victories.

Alex Solis led the jockeys with 28 winners, six more than Laffit Pincay. It was Solis’ second Oak Tree title.

Neither Baffert nor Solis was involved in the final stakes race of the meeting, however, the $100,000 Louis R. Rowen Handicap.

Favored Green Jewel, under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, rallied to beat Curitiba and three other fillies and mares to give trainer David Hofmans only his second winner of the meeting.

Green Jewel, a 4-year-old English-bred, won for the sixth time in 19 starts, covering the mile on turf in 1:39 2/5 and winning by three lengths.

“David did a great job getting her ready for this race,” said Delahoussaye. “She did everything perfectly today. I think it was her best race and I knew we had it won at the three-eighths pole.”

Curitiba, a 5-1 shot, finished a head in front of Call Me. Plus, the 5-2 second choice, was fourth and Smooth Quest last.

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Daily average attendance and total handle were up slightly over last year’s Oak Tree meeting.

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Racing will resume Wednesday when Hollywood Park begins its 31-day fall season. Post time is 12:30 p.m.