DEL MAR : Baffert Seeking Sweep of Track’s Grade I Races

Trainer Bob Baffert will try to make it a clean sweep of Del Mar’s most significant races in the $400,000 Ramona Handicap on Saturday.

If Baffert wins the 1 1/8-mile turf race with Tuzla, he will have won all five of the meet’s Grade I races, something nobody else has done.

Headed for his third consecutive training title at Del Mar, Baffert has won the Eddie Read Handicap with Joe Who, the Del Mar Oaks with 9-1 shot Tout Charmant, the Del Mar Debutante with the unbeaten Chilukki and a diluted Pacific Classic with General Challenge.

Baffert’s good fortune has also been rewarding for David Flores. The jockey was aboard Tout Charmant, Chilukki and General Challenge for their big victories, and he will ride Tuzla for the first time in the Ramona.

Tuzla was purchased by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable from David Milch last month for a reported $1.3 million and had a win streak end at four in the Palomar Handicap. Tuzla, as the 3-5 favorite, was runner-up to Happyanunoit, who is among those expected to be entered this morning for the Ramona.

Happyanunoit is trained by Bobby Frankel, who will be seeking his third win in the race in the last five years. Frankel will also enter Spanish Fern.

Tranquility Lake, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod and trained by Julio Canani, will also be trying to rebound from a defeat. She was beaten by Virginie in the Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 3, ending a win streak at three that included victories in the Santa Barbara and Gamely Breeders’ Cup handicaps.

Other likely entrants in the Ramona are Osunitas Handicap winner Que Belle, Bella Chiarra, Vyatka, Sapphire Ring and Sierra Virgen.

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Besides the Ramona, the final weekend of the Del Mar season will include the $200,000 Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Sunday and the $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Monday before things wrap up with the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity two days later.

Old Trieste, who missed the Hollywood Gold Cup because of foot problems that have plagued him for most of his career, is scheduled to run in the Breeders’ Cup Handicap--his first start since easily winning the Californian on May 29 at Hollywood Park.

Old Trieste, a winner of his last four starts over a span of more than 14 months, will be trying to repeat in a race he won by five lengths last year.

Others expected to start in the mile race are Eternity Range, Flying With Eagles, Hollycombe and Quake.

The first three finishers in last month’s La Jolla Handicap--Eagleton, In Frank’s Honor and Zanetti--are all expected to run in the Del Mar Derby, along with French import Val Royal, Make Your Mark, Fighting Falcon, Domination, Walk That Walk and Roundabout.

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Jockey Laffit Pincay won Wednesday’s opening race with favored Encore Express and the finale with Dixie Snow and now has 8,782 victories, leaving him 51 shy of Bill Shoemaker’s all-time record of 8,833.

Jockey Garrett Gomez won three times, scoring with Ladys Hi Life in the second, Call Me Soon in the fourth and Emigre in the sixth.