Graded stakes double for Baffert May 21

Sunday | May 22, 2011

Bob Baffert trainees notched a pair of Grade 3 victories on May 21, with May Day Rose taking the Railbird S. at Hollywood Park, while Ventana scored in the Maryland Sprint H. at Pimlico Racecourse.

Ventana, with Martin Garcia aboard, went off the 8-5 favorite at Pimlico, and the 5-year-old had to battle the entire six furlongs to earn a very hard-fought neck victory. Following both a stewards’ inquiry and jockey’s objection concerning an incident in the stretch, Ventana was named the official winner for his first victory since the Portrero Grande S. (G2) in April, 2010.

“I think the other horse and I were pretty close, but I corrected it right away,” Garcia said. “It looked like I had contact, but I really didn’t. It’s been a while since I won on him, so it felt good.”

Ventana was neck and neck with an opponent for every step of the race. For the first half, it was Delong Road supplying the pressure, then when he began to fade, Immortal Eyes picked up the battle for the stretch run. Ventana dug in and wouldn’t let him by, though, stopping the clock in a very quick 1:09.88 over a fast, but rather dull, surface.

“California sprinters are pretty tough,” Baffert said. “I’ve got to move them around. I thought it would be a good fit for him to come here. It was a last-minute thing to bring him here. I made it a few days ago before the plane left. He’s been working well and there really was nothing (racewise) in California. I’m trying to spread these horses out. We thought it was a good spot for him and it was. And he ran fast. 1:09 4/5 is fast here.”

Ventana, third last out in the Potrero Grande, improved to 4-4-3 from 19 lifetime starts. The Kentucky bred is owned by  his breeders, Joe Mulholland Sr., Joe Mulholland Jr., John Mulholland, and Karen Mulholland.

At Hollywood, May Day Rose rolled to a 3 1/4-length win in the seven furlong Railbird.

Bob Baffert trains the 3-year-old filly for Kaleem Shah. Bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm, May Day Rose is by Rockport Harbor, out of May Day Bluff and sold for $220,000 as a 2-year-old at Ocala.
“She’s been a good one,” Shah said of his filly. “At the Grade 1 level she didn’t run her best races, but one level below that she seems to be firing. It’s up to Bob what to do with her next. All I ask him is to tell me where and when.”
While May Day Rose usually goes to the front early in her races, this time she sat in third until just outside the final furlong, when Joel Rosario gave her the cue to go on, and she responded with plenty of energy to win going away in a time of 1:22.26. Her 97 Beyer Speed Figure is a lifetime best.
“She can do anything,” Rosario said. “She can go to the lead or come from behind. Turning for home she was traveling real nice and I had her on a long hold.I hadn’t even asked her to run yet.  I knew I had a good chance from there. She was nice and relaxed and when I asked her to go, she drew away.”

The bay filly’s overall mark stands at 5-1-0 in nine races with earnings of $324,555. This was her third stakes win, following the $100,000 Instant Racing S. at Oaklawn Park on April 16 and the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita in January.

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