McNair Has Another Game Plan

Bob McNair, part of a group that sprang for $700 million this week to get an NFL franchise for Houston, can earn a small portion of that back Saturday when his undefeated filly, Chilukki, runs in the $200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I’m thinking about getting Bob Baffert to train our running backs,” McNair joked. Since McNair and his wife Janice bought Chilukki at auction for $875,000 and turned it over to Baffert, the filly has won five consecutive races, one against colts at Churchill Downs in her second start. She won the Del Mar Debutante in her most recent race.

Only four other 2-year-olds were entered in the Oak Leaf, the last California prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 6. Baffert is also running Crown Of Crimson, bred and owned by John and Betty Mabee, a filly with a second and a win in two tries. Others in the field are Abby Girl, undefeated in two starts; She’s Classy, and Spain, who was second, a length behind Chilukki, in the Del Mar Debutante. She’s Classy finished third in that race and since has won a small stake at Fairplex Park.

Baffert has won the last two runnings of the Oak Leaf, with Excellent Meeting for the Mabees last year and with Vivid Angel in 1997.

Chilukki had a five-furlong workout on Monday in 58 2/5, fastest of 60 horses that day at that distance. Saturday’s one-mile race will be her first start beyond seven furlongs.

“I’m really not worried at all about the route,” Baffert said. “I put two good [workout] miles into her before the last work, and although she was a little confused the first time, her last two works were really great.”

Horse Racing Notes

Bob Baffert will also send out the favorite--Forest Camp--in Sunday’s $200,000 Norfolk Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings. Forest Camp, convincing winner of the Del Mar Futurity, will race against Dixie Union, Anees and New Advantage in the Norfolk. . . . Bridge To Freedom’s victory in the last race Thursday at Santa Anita was No. 8,794 for Laffit Pincay. . . . Kent Desormeaux, who has the mount on New Advantage, returns to riding today after healing from a broken wrist he suffered at Del Mar on Sept. 6. . . . The best 2-year-old colts on the East Coast will run in Saturday’s $400,000 Champagne at Belmont Park. More Than Ready, second in the Futurity, will run against High Yield, who won the Hopeful at Saratoga.