It’s a Day of Firsts From Coast to Coast

Before Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert had not won a race in New Jersey, or with River Keen. In coast-to-coast fashion, both voids were filled as Silverbulletday cantered to victory in the $242,500 Breeders’ Cup Oaks at Monmouth Park, followed a few hours later by River Keen’s win in the $125,000 Bel Air Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Baffert, at Monmouth to saddle Silverbulletday, phoned one of his assistants, Tim Yakteen, in the winner’s circle at Hollywood only minutes after River Keen had finished a neck in front of Barter Town.

Handing the cell phone to Hugo Reynolds, the owner of River Keen, Yakteen said: “He wants to know if he gets a lifetime breeding share.”

It was Reynolds who had Baffert claim River Keen from trainer Bob Hess Jr. for $100,000 in December. Prior to the Bel Air, the 7-year-old Irish-bred had run five times for Baffert, never winning while posting two seconds and two thirds.

“A couple of years ago,” Reynolds said, “I bought a couple of 2-year-olds [with Baffert]. I paid $90,000 and $175,000 for them, and neither one of them ever got to the races. So I decided to spend some money on a horse that had already been running.”

Hugo and Patsy Reynolds, who live in Corona, where he’s in the construction business, had a tough year in 1998. Hugo underwent surgery for prostate cancer and Patsy, hospitalized for a back operation, suffered a heart attack and wound up having her right leg amputated.

“I always get out here to watch our horses,” Patsy Reynolds said from her wheelchair. “They give us something to look forward to.”

When trained by Hess, River Keen once had a bright future. In 1997, against Gentlemen and Siphon in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, River Keen went off at odds of 5-1, but finished last, beaten by 25 lengths. He seldom raced after that, and in last year’s Bel Air he was last, finishing 23 lengths behind Free House.

“The only problems he’s had since we got him were his feet,” said Eoin Harty, another Baffert assistant. “But the last two months the quarter cracks have healed up behind and he’s been very sound. In a way, I’m surprised he won, but then again this wasn’t the strongest Bel Air ever run.”

Barter Town, the 6-5 favorite, was ridden by Victor Espinoza, who rode River Keen in some of his worst races.

“I can’t believe he was the one that beat me,” Espinoza said. “I’ve ridden him a lot, and all I can figure is that he really likes this track. He always runs good at Hollywood Park.”

Indeed, the victory was River Keen’s fourth in eight starts at Hollywood. His time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:40 3/5, which missed the stakes record by three-fifths of a second. River Keen was assigned 113 pounds, two fewer than three other starters, but he became the high weight with jockey Chris Antley’s four pounds of overweight.

“He made one great run,” Antley said. “It was a good, gutsy effort.”

At Monmouth Park, Silverbulletday--with only three horses to beat--finished five lengths ahead of Boom Town Girl. She ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43, winning for the first time since a seventh-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. With no place and show betting, Silverbulletday paid the minimum $2.10 to win. It was her 12th win in 14 starts and the $150,000 share of the purse increased her earnings to $2.36 million.

“I think she could have run better in the Belmont if she wasn’t up on the pace the way she was,” said Jerry Bailey, who rode Silverbulletday again Saturday. “Who knows if she’ll face the boys again, but she is certainly that caliber where she’d be competitive no matter where you put her.”

Excellent Meeting, Baffert’s other top-notch 3-year-old filly, is scheduled to run in the Hollywood Oaks next Saturday. If Baffert elects to try Silverbulletday against colts again, she could return to Monmouth for the $1-million Haskell Handicap on Aug. 8. Serena’s Song, in 1995, is the only filly to win the Haskell.

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Baffert will try to extend his East Coast invasion when he runs Forestry today in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. Also in the six-horse field is Doneraile Court, who has won a couple of allowance races for trainer Nick Zito after dropping out of the Triple Crown with a seventh-place finish in the Derby Trial. . . . At Hollywood Park, Native Desert, who has notched five victories and two seconds in nine races over the turf course, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the Khaled Stakes for California-breds.