Sabiango Goes Wire to Wire

Winning a Grade I race on turf with a German-bred wasn’t a dream trainer Bob Baffert had when he made the transition from quarter horses to thoroughbreds some 16 years ago.

Nevertheless, the above scenario played out Saturday at Hollywood Park where, Sabiango, who was making his first start in California and first since Dec. 14, went wire to wire to win the $350,000 Charlie Whittingham Memorial Handicap.

Owned by Monty Roberts, the man who has been dubbed the “Horse Whisperer” by some for his knack for communicating with horses, Sabiango, a 13-1 shot, held on to beat Bayamo by three-quarters of a length.

Under expert handling by jockey Tyler Baze, who scored the biggest win of his career, the 6-year-old was able to get away with ridiculously slow fractions -- the first six furlongs were run in 1:15.12 -- en route to his sixth victory in 16 starts. He completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.52.

While a tad miffed he had not made a bet on Sabiango, who returned $28.80, Baffert was quick to credit assistant Tim Yakteen, who handles the barn’s string at Hollywood Park and who once worked for Whittingham, the Hall of Famer who died in 1999.

“Charlie finally rubbed off on him,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for it to come out of Tim. I’ve got to give him credit because he’s the one that got this horse ready.

“I’m just glad that Monty let us have him. I was watching Monty. I was going to see if he whispered anything into his ear or anything like that. It’s a good win.”

Roberts also had praise for Yakteen.

“He’s a class act,” he said. “I don’t want to put Bob down because it is Bob Baffert and he’s the assistant, but I work with Tim and he’s done a fantastic job. Bob runs a good operation and I want to say so.”

Just Wonder, an 11-1 shot, finished a nose behind Bayamo, and Vangelis, who was making his first start in the U.S. after winning four of 13 in Europe, wound up fourth. Continuously, the 7-2 favorite, finished sixth, and Irish Warrior, who was pulled up by jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. in the stretch, was vanned off the track with an apparent injury to his left foreleg.

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Trainer Vladimir Cerin won the Hollywood Gold Cup four years ago with longshot Early Pioneer and he has a leading candidate for the race in 2004 with Even The Score.

The 9-10 favorite in Saturday’s $250,000 Californian, the 6-year-old easily disposed of his eight opponents for his second graded stakes win of the meet. He had taken the Mervyn LeRoy for owner Ro Parra on May 8.

A winner of nine of 28 lifetime, Even The Score ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.64 under jockey David Flores. Total Impact was second, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, and Nose The Trade was third.

“He runs like a true professional,” Cerin said.

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House Of Fortune, the 6-5 favorite, used front-running tactics to win the $182,875 Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks, prevailing by three lengths over 9-1 shot Elusive Diva and three other 3-year-old fillies.

Giving trainer Ron McAnally his third Oaks victory since 1996, the California-bred daughter of Free House won for the sixth time in 10 starts for owner Arnold Zetcher. Ridden by Alex Solis, House Of Fortune ran the 1 1/16 miles in a stakes record 1:41.55.