Swaps Win Would Put Baffert in Elite Group

Since the Swaps Stakes was first run in 1974, three trainers--all hall of famers--have won the race in consecutive years.

The late Laz Barrera was the first, winning with Valdez in 1979 and First Albert 12 months later.

Charlie Whittingham, who died in 1999, collected his Swaps victories with Temperate Sil in 1987 and Lively One in ’88.

Wayne Lukas was the last to win consecutive Swaps races. Thunder Gulch followed his victory in the Belmont Stakes by beating Da Hoss in the 1995 Swaps, and Lukas also won the next year with Victory Speech.

Destined for racing’s Hall of Fame, Bob Baffert will try to join that threesome today when he looks for his second consecutive Swaps victory at Hollywood Park. He took the Grade I last year with Captain Steve, who beat eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and horse of the year Tiznow by 2 1/2 lengths.

As was the case last year, Baffert’s entry will be favored to win the $500,000, 1 1/8-mile race, and if it does, it won’t be his best 3-year-old.

In the absence of Point Given, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner, Congaree will carry the Baffert banner and is expected to make a successful return.

The 3-5 favorite on the morning line, the son of Arazi will be making his first start since finishing third in the Preakness, 2 1/2 lengths behind Point Given and a neck behind runner-up A P Valentine.

Before that, Congaree, owned by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, was third in the Kentucky Derby, an effort that had some saying he ran just as well as winner Monarchos.

Close to the ridiculously fast pace (44 4/5 and 1:09 1/5 for six furlongs), Congaree had the lead early in the stretch but tired late and was beaten by nearly five lengths. He was a nose behind late-running longshot Invisible Ink, who was made to look better than he is because of the way the Derby was run.

A winner of three of six lifetime--he scored his first, and only, graded victory in defeating Monarchos in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 14--and worse than third only in his sprint debut Sept. 10 at Del Mar, Congaree has apparently responded to the time off he has been given since the Preakness. He will be ridden today, for the first time, by Gary Stevens,

Congaree completed his serious preparation for the Swaps with a 1:11 workout Tuesday at Santa Anita. It was the best six-furlong drill of the morning. Six days earlier, he ran seven furlongs in 1:24, and, in his final workout of June, he went six furlongs in 1:10 4/5.

“He looks great and he’s really training great,” Baffert said. “He’s ready and the real Congaree will show up. He’s a really good horse.

“I don’t think he ran as well in the Preakness as he did in the Derby. He wasn’t as sharp, but I still think he would have run second if he hadn’t stumbled leaving the gate.

“He got really light on me after that. He lost some weight, but he’s put on about 50 pounds. I’m looking for a huge effort. I think he’ll run as well as he has in those other races.”

If Congaree, who is putting the blinkers on after one race without them, is at his best, the five other Swaps participants are running for $100,000, second money.

Until Sundown is the 4-1 second choice. Trained by Laura De Seroux and owned by Sidney Port and the San Gabriel Investments of De Seroux’s husband Emmanuel, Until Sundown has won three of five starts and not finished worse than second.

With regular jockey Stevens switching to Congaree, Chris McCarron will ride the son of Smart Strike for the first time.

The Swaps field will be completed by Bayou The Moon, who beat Until Sundown in the Alydar on May 23 before finishing third in the Affirmed; Hoovergetthekeys, Jamaican Rum and Affirmed runner-up Top Hit.

Two other graded stakes will be run today.

Blueprint, who hasn’t run since finishing third in the San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita on April 14, tops a small field in the $200,000 Sunset Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

The probable favorite in the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship at six furlongs is Came Home. A 2-year-old son of Gone West owned by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan, and trained by Paco Gonzalez, Came Home was impressive in his debut June 3.

Affluent, the even-money favorite, got the waiting ride she prefers and won the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Last after a half-mile behind a quick pace, the 3-year-old Affirmed filly joined 8-5 second choice Collect Call approaching the stretch, then kicked away in the final furlong to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

Owned by Janis Whitham, trained by Ron McAnally and ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, Affluent won for the third time in eight starts and completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 1/5. It was her first graded stakes victory.

There is a Pick Six carryover of $180,091.96 today at Hollywood Park. . . . England’s Legend, the 7-2 second choice ridden by Corey Nakatani, ran down favored Gaviola to win the $250,000 New York Handicap by 1 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park. . . . Dream Supreme, the 3-5 favorite, rolled to a victory in the $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder.