Officer Drops in the Ranks
A little more than six months ago, many people had Officer primed to do big things on the first Saturday in May.
Now, those same folks will have to settle for the California-bred being successful on the first Sunday of April.
Proven a Kentucky Derby pretender with consecutive defeats in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, California Cup Juvenile and Hollywood Futurity, Officer will make his first start as a 3-year-old in the $100,000 Zany Tactics Stakes today at Santa Anita. The race is not part of the pick six, which has a carryover of $243,519.
Trained by Bob Baffert for owner Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp., Officer is the 3-5 favorite in the Zany Tactics, a 61/2-furlong sprint restricted to Cal breds.
The $700,000 2-year-old purchase who began his career with five easy wins has trained quickly for his first start in nearly four months and he is unbeaten in races around one turn. Victor Espinoza, who is five for six on the colt, is back aboard.
At Keeneland, Cashel Castle, who is unbeaten in four starts for the Sandbar Farm and trainer Chris Block, will make his graded stakes debut in the $100,000 Lafayette.
The seven-furlong Grade III race also attracted Governor Hickel, Axis, Laffit, Cicero Grimes, Storm Commander, Super Striker and Sky Terrace.
Race of the day: Geana Dawn, voted claimer of the meet at the recently concluded Golden Gate Fields meet, will shoot for her sixth win in a row in today’s eighth, the fifth leg in a Bay Meadows pick six that has a $132,947 carryover. The filly hasn’t lost since being claimed for $6,250 by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer for owner Mark Murphy.
Who’s hot: John Kimmel. The trainer is winning at a 27% clip at Gulfstream Park.
Who’s not: James Hatchett. The trainer is winless with his first 31 starters at Gulfstream.
Exotically speaking: A pick three using Pressure Play and Complete Class in the fourth, La Bandera and Glitterbend in the fifth and Sonoita, Giotto and Poker Willy in the sixth.
Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/205. Money: Previous day/meet total: $17.60/$1,197.40. Total money bet: $1,272.