Bai and Bai Comes Calling
No matter what she does for the rest of her career, Bai and Bai has already been a bargain.
Purchased for $3,200 as a yearling in September 2004, the California-bred daughter of Falstaff has already earned $165,223 for owners George Vinson and Harry Wilson and trainer Bill Delia.
A winner of four of nine starts, the 3-year-old will make her Hollywood Park debut in the $200,000 Melair at 1 1/4 miles. The Melair is part of the Gold Rush Day program and the second leg of a pick six with a guaranteed pool of $1 million.
The Gold Rush is a series of 10 races restricted to California breds with purses totaling $1.31 million.
Bai and Bai, who broke her maiden against $32,000 claimers Aug. 27 at Bay Meadows, is already a stakes winner in this part of the state. She won the California Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita. Dispatched at 8-1 that day, she won by 1 3/4 lengths under jockey Roberto Gonzalez, who will have the mount again this afternoon.
The richest Gold Rush event is the $250,000 Snow Chief, a 1 1/8 -mile race for 3-year-olds. Sam’s Ace, fourth in the Florida Derby on April 1 at Gulfstream Park, is the 7-5 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line. Alex Solis will ride the son of In Excess.
Race of the day: Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner who hasn’t won a race since taking the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 2, 2004, at Belmont Park, will drop in to face New York breds in the $65,000 King’s Point Handicap today at Aqueduct. Richard Migliore will ride.
One for the road: Sun Boat is much improved for trainer Eoin Harty and can make it three wins in a row in the ninth race today at Churchill Downs. Brice Blanc will ride the 4-year-old Machiavellian colt for Darley Stable in the $58,000 allowance at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
Exotically speaking: A pick three using Lucky J.H. and Excess Summer in the fifth; Bai and Bai and Chosen Royalty in the sixth; and Catouttathebag, Winning Tactics and Touchdown U S C in the seventh.
Winners: (previous day/meet total): 2/7. Money: (previous day/meet total): $17/$68.20. Total money bet: $66.