Baffert Seems to Have the Horses

HALLANDALE, Fla. —  Trainer Bob Baffert, with a chance to break two of the oldest Breeders’ Cup records, probably will saddle three of the favorites when the eight races worth $13 million are run Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Only trainer Wayne Lukas has won three Breeders’ Cup races in one day, at Churchill Downs in 1988 when he saddled horses that earned $2.193 million, but Baffert, with eight starters, three favorites and two second choices, seems loaded this time.

When 102 horses were entered Wednesday, Gulfstream linemaker Chuck Streva listed Baffert’s Chilukki (8-5 in the Juvenile Fillies), Silverbulletday (5-2 in the Distaff) and Forest Camp (3-1 in the Juvenile) as the favorites. Baffert is also running General Challenge, who’s second to the 3-1 Behrens in the Classic, and Forestry, who’s right behind the 7-2 Artax in the Sprint.

Baffert’s other contenders are River Keen in the Classic, Captain Steve in the Juvenile and Tuzla in the Mile.

Baffert’s first Breeders’ Cup win, with the second horse he ran, was furnished by Thirty Slews in the Sprint at Gulfstream Park in 1992. Baffert won the Juvenile Fillies last year with Silverbulletday, and he has had two second-place finishers out of 12 starters.

Baffert left the quarter horse business to concentrate on thoroughbreds in 1991.

“When I first switched to thoroughbreds,” Baffert said, “I looked at horses with the idea of winning [California Cup] races, that was the whole emphasis. So to be here in this position, it doesn’t get any better than this. But at this level, whoever gets the breaks is going to win these races. There’s no margin for error in the Breeders’ Cup.”

With 14-horse fields in six of the eight races, some of Baffert’s horses drew seemingly unfavorable outside post positions. General Challenge, Forest Camp and Tuzla will all break from the No. 10 post.

Horse Racing Notes

Saturday’s other morning-line favorites are Daylami, 7-2 in the Turf; Soaring Softly, 7-2 in the Filly and Mare Turf; and Brave Act, 7-2 in the Mile. . . . Finder’s Fee won’t run in the Juvenile Fillies because of a high white blood cell count. . . . Two days of sunshine are expected to be followed by scattered showers Friday and Saturday.