The only horses not trained by Bob Baffert in Sunday's $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) are Spun Intended, a highly regarded maiden for trainer Mark Glatt, and Packs a Wahlop, a two-time stakes winner on turf for trainer Jeff Mullins.
Spun Intended is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line behind Baffert's National Treasure (2-1) in a field of six set for the one-mile Sham, which awards 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points on a scale of 10-4-3-2-1 to the top five finishers.
Last month at Del Mar when making his second start, Spun Intended ran off to break his maiden by 6 ½ lengths when sprinting 6 ½ furlongs. In his debut at Santa Anita a month earlier, the Hard Spun colt was narrowly edged a half-length by Baffert's Fort Warren.
“He might have won first time but had a pretty wide trip,” Glatt noted Saturday morning.
Spun Intended was bought at last year's OBS March sale for $125,000 by the partnership of Edge Racing and Muir Hut Stables. Glatt said the colt displayed ample ability immediately upon his arrival at Santa Anita last year.
“We bought him and then turned him out for a couple months after the rigors of going through the 2-year-old sale,” Glatt said. “But when he came back in, you could just tell he was a good-minded horse. I don't think he ever missed a beat once he got in my barn.”
Glatt added Spun Intended is a “big horse” and “one of the most impressive things we saw at the sale was that for a big horse, he was very efficient and good-moving horse. He kind of touted himself right from the start.”
The Sham will mark the two-turn debut of Spun Intended, who drew the outside stall and will again have Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the irons.
Pedigree suggests the added distance of the Sham should not be a problem. Spun Intended is out of the First Dude mare Flora Dora, who placed in multiple graded stakes going a route of ground including the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at nine furlongs in 2016.
“First time around two turns, you never know about that, but all indications are it should be fine for him,” Glatt said. “We'll see what happens.”
Spun Intended enters the Sham off of consecutive bullet works. He drilled six furlongs in 1:11 on Dec. 26 followed by a five-furlong move in 58.8 seconds with Smith up on Monday.
“It was a little quicker than I wanted, but he does things so easily,” Glatt said of Spun Intended's final drill. “A work in 58 and change for him is not like 58 and change for most horses. I worked him with a little company and he pulled past that horse. Mike never moved on him. It was about as easy a 58 and change as you are going to get.”
As for Packs a Wahlop (6-1), he'll be trying dirt for the first time since he caught a sloppy track in his debut at Gulfstream Park in June. He was subsequently sent to Southern California and moved to turf where he would win three straight including the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf and Grade 3 Zuma Beach in October at Santa Anita.
Most recently, Packs a Wahlop was sent to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf where he finished eighth at 5-1.
Mullins said switching to dirt for a race like the Sham, which is an official prep for the Kentucky Derby, was part of the long-range strategy for Packs a Wahlop.
“We had planned on running him on dirt after the Breeders' Cup. Obviously if it doesn't work out we'll go back to the grass,” Mullins said.
Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Packs a Wahlop is by Creative Cause out of the City Zip mare City by the Day. He was purchased at last year's OBS April sale for $270,000.
In the Sham, Packs a Wahlop will wear blinkers for the first time.
“He likes to be up near the front and we're hoping that helps him get there,” Mullins noted.
Packs a Wahlop will have a new rider in the Sham. With Smith opting for Spun Intended, Ramon Vazquez will be aboard for the first time.
“Ramon has worked him a couple times and really likes him,” Mullins said.
The Sham goes as the featured eighth race on Sunday with an approximate post time of 3:30 p.m. (PT).
The field in post position order with jockey, morning line odds: Newgate, Frankie Dettori (6-1); National Treasure, John Velazquez (2-1); Speed Boat Beach, Flavien Prat (5-2); Reincarnate, Juan Hernadez (8-1); Packs a Wahlop, Ramon Vazquez (6-1); Spun Intended (5-2).
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