Baffert Really Makes the Grade I: 20 in a Year

Bob Baffert became only the second trainer in history to win 20 Grade I races in a year when Hookedonthefeelin finished first in the $200,000 La Brea Stakes on Monday at Santa Anita.

With no other Grade I races on the calendar, Baffert will fall shy of the record of 22 set by Wayne Lukas in 1987. And despite his accomplishment, Baffert may not win an Eclipse Award for a third consecutive year because he was blanked in both the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, whereas Lukas won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Charismatic and two Breeders’ Cup races with longshots--the Juvenile Fillies with Cash Run and the Classic with Cat Thief.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Hookedonthefeelin, the 5-1 fourth choice in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies, broke on top under David Flores, yielded the lead to 9-5 favorite Kalookan Queen, then took charge going into the stretch, winning by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:21 4/5 for the seven furlongs. This was the fifth victory in six starts for the daughter of Citidancer, who nearly died of pneumonia last year after winning the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park in her second start.

Olympic Charmer, the 7-2 third choice, beat Kalookan Queen by half a length for second, then came Dianehill, Penny Marie, the 3-1 second choice, Nany’s Sweep, Perfect Six and Rayelle.

Horse Racing Notes

There is a pick six carry-over of more than $118,000 for Wednesday. . . . Laffit Pincay, who will turn 53 Wednesday, won with 10-1 shot Force Of Habit, giving him 42 victories in the last 38 racing days. . . . Besides winning the La Brea, David Flores won the $75,000-added Ack Ack with favored Elaborate. It was the fourth win in six starts for the 4-year-old gelding, who is owned by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trained by Paco Gonzalez.