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Baffert Seeks Fourth Straight Los Al Derby Win With Duo Of Thousand Words, Uncle Chuck

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will try to win the Los Alamitos Derby for a fourth consecutive year when he sends out Thousand Words and Uncle Chuck Saturday.

The Grade III, $150,000-guaranteed Derby, which is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, is part of a stakes doubleheader on the next-to-last day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival. Bellafina, a seven-time graded stakes winner, tops the field of older fillies and mares in the Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M at 6 ½ furlongs. Post time Saturday is 1 p.m.

The Los Alamitos Derby will go as race six and has a scheduled post time of 3:28 p.m. PDT while the Great Lady M. will be the eighth of nine races and is scheduled for 4:28 p.m.

Baffert, whose Los Alamitos Derby win streak commenced with eventual 3-year-old champion West Coast in 2017 then continued with Once On Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner a year ago, will be seeking his fifth win in the contest since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014. He also won with Gimme Da Lute in 2015.

With the postponement of the Kentucky Derby from May 2 until Sept. 5 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Los Alamitos Derby is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby'' this year. The winner of the local Derby will receive 20 points towards earning a berth in the starting gate the first Saturday of September. The runner-up will receive eight points, the third place finisher four and the fourth place finisher two.

A son of Pioneerof the Nile and the Pomeroy mare Pomeroys Pistol, Thousand Words will try to become the first horse to win both the Los Alamitos Futurity and Derby. Shared Belief won the final running of the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in 2013 and the inaugural running of the Los Alamitos Derby the following year.

Owned by Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC, Thousand Words hasn't been out since finishing far back over a sloppy track as the 5-2 favorite in the Oaklawn Stakes April 11 in Arkansas. He's won three of five and earned $235,500.

An Uncle Mo colt out of the Unbridled's Song mare Forest Music, Uncle Chuck was an impressive first out winner June 12. He went gate-to-wire against four opponents in the race at one mile, cruising to a seven length victory for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. The win was worth $30,000 for Uncle Chuck, a $250,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2018.

Defeated a neck by Thousand Words in the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity in his final start as a 2-year-old, Anneau d'Or will be seeking his first win of 2020 for Peter Redekop B.C. Ltd. and trainer Blaine Wright.

The Medaglia d'Oro colt out of the Tapit mare Walk Close was most recently fourth in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby June 6, finishing nearly six lengths behind winner Honor A.P.

He's 1-for-6 in his career with a bankroll of $442,000.

Great Power will race for the first time since finishing a distant third behind Charlatan at one mile March 14.

Trained by Simon Callaghan for JSM Equine LLC, Qatar Racing Limited and breeder Lakland Farm, the Blame colt out of the Unbridled's Song mare Lifeinthefastlane was a first out winner going short last Sept. 29. He earned $36,840 in his two starts.

A five-start maiden, Cosmo will make his first afternoon appearance on a surface other than turf for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale.

Owned by Edward Hudson, Jr. and Lynne Hudson, the Distorted Humor colt out of the Grand Slam mare Sky Glow has banked $18,500 while hitting the board twice. In his most recent start at one mile, Cosmo was third, three-quarters of a length behind favored winner Tiberius Mercurius June 19.

From the inside out, the field for the Los Alamitos Derby: Cosmo, Abel Cedillo rides, 122 pounds; Great Power, Drayden Van Dyke, 122; Thousand Words, Flavien Prat, Uncle Chuck, Luis Saez, 122 and Anneau d'Or, Victor Espinoza, 122.

In the Great Lady M., Bellafina will return to Los Alamitos for the first time since she finished second in her career debut two years ago to the day. The daughter of Quality Road finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Katieleigh as the 1-2 choice July 4, 2018.

Since that defeat, Bellafina, who is owned by Kaleem Shah, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith and trained by Simon Callaghan, has won half of her 14 starts and earned $1,512,975.

She ended a six-race losing streak with a one-length score in the Grade III Desert Stormer May 17.

Sneaking Out returns to California after going 1-for-2 on the road to begin her 2020 campaign for owner-breeder KMN Racing LLC and Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The 4-year-old Indian Evening filly out of the Kitten's Joy mare Maddie's Odyssey won as the favorite April 25 at Oaklawn Park before finishing fifth of eighth in the Grade III Winning Colors May 30 at Churchill Downs.

The California bred has won four of 10 lifetime and earned $311,441.

Amuse cuts back in distance and goes turf to dirt in her second of the year for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella after finishing third in an optional claimer at one mile June 14.

The 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare showed the way before weakening in the final eighth of a mile in her first start in more than 14 months.

Owned by a partnership that includes Claiborne Farm, Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass and Adele Dilschneider, Amuse has won two of six and earned $85,511.

Runner-up to Bellafina when nearly 43-1 in the Desert Stormer, Hang a Star will be seeking her third lifetime win in the Great Lady M.

Owned by the same owner-trainer combination – Seltzer Thoroughbreds and Ian Kruljac – that won this race in 2016 with eventual female sprint champion Finest City, Hang a Star has banked $108,311 in seven starts. She is a daughter of Tapizar and the Vindication mare Homecoming Dance.

Zusha will shorten up for her first race since finishing a distant fifth in the Grade I Beholder Mile March 14.

Trained by Gary Mandella for Rafael Steinbruch, the 5-year-old daughter of Congrats and the Storm Cat mare Icy Tea has won two of 20 and banked $218,893. In her lone start at Los Alamitos, Zusha finished second behind Queen Bee to You in the Grade III Bayakoa last Dec. 8.

Fifth after disputing the pace in the Desert Stormer, Artistic Diva will try to stay perfect at Los Alamitos for Hronis Racing LLC and trainer Juan Leyva.

The lightly-raced 5-year-old Munnings mare was a gate-to-wire winner in her local debut last Sept. 13. She's won half of her six starts and earned $143,450.

Winless in five starts in 2020, Donut Girl will step into graded company for the first time after finishing fourth of nine in an optional claimer on turf June 19.

A $20,000 claim by owner-trainer Brian Cunningham May 16, the 5-year-old Smiling Tiger mare out of the Any Given Saturday mare Saturday's Girl has won four of 21 and earned $170,582. She has won locally, scoring a come-from-behind win over a wet fast surface during the 2019 Winter meet when trained by Matt Chew.

From inside out, the field for the Great Lady M. Stakes: Bellafina, Flavien Prat rides, 124 pounds; Artistic Diva, Victor Espinoza, 119; Sneaking Out, Martin Garcia, 119; Donut Girl, Geovanni Franco, 119; Hang a Star, Umberto Rispoli, 119; Amuse, Drayden Van Dyke, 119 and Zusha, Tiago Pereira, 119.

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‘Our Only Chance To Bring A Level Playing Field To Racing’: Hall Of Famer Mark Casse Joins WHOA

Mark E. Casse, one of the newest members of the National Museum of Racings Hall of Fame has joined the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA). Successful in both the United States and Canada, Casse has won the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer in Canada a record 12 times and was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 2016.

Mr. Casse remarked in his statement to WHOA, “After much thought, I have decided to join the WHOA. I continue to be frustrated by the lack of uniformity in our industry, and I know that WHOA is a big supporter of the Horseracing Integrity Act, as am I. It is my belief that it is our only chance to bring a level playing field to racing.”

Even in these uncertain times, WHOA continues to lobby for the Horseracing Integrity Act (HR1754/S1820). Support is growing with 253 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 25 cosponsors in the Senate. The racing industry needs to band together and get behind passage of the bill in the 116th Congress. Support from racing leaders like Mark Casse is imperative to the effort.

Casse has trained Eclipse Award winners Classic Empire, Shamrock Rose, Tepin, and World Approval, as well as Canadian Horse of the Year honorees Catch a Glimpse, Lexie Lou, Sealy Hill, Uncaptured, and Wonder Gadot. He has won a total of seven races in the Canadian Triple Crown series, five Breeders' Cup races, and the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot with Tepin. Casse has trained 18 horses that have won $1 million or more and has been the leading trainer at Woodbine (11 times), Turfway (four times), Keeneland (three times), and Churchill Downs (twice).

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‘Nothing Has Been Typical This Year,’ But Asmussen Ready To Chase Training Title At Ellis Park

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen shoots for his fourth training title in five years at the RUNHAPPY Summer Meet at Ellis Park, which opens Thursday and concludes Aug. 30.

Ellis Park runs Thursday through Sunday, then takes next week off in order to let Keeneland Race Course make up five days and many of the Lexington track's biggest stakes races from its canceled April meet. Ellis then resumes July 17 with its Friday through Sunday format, closing a week earlier than normal in order to let Churchill Downs conduct a delayed Kentucky Derby Week.

Asmussen comes into Ellis Park off a record-setting Churchill Downs session. While collecting a record 23rd training title at Churchill Downs, Asmussen also replaced Dale Romans as the all-time win leader under the Twin Spires, now by a 747-744 margin.

Asmussen hadn't raced regularly at Ellis Park in years when he created a large division at Kentucky's second-oldest racetrack in 2016, lured by increasing purses and a good racing surface. He promptly won the Ellis training title in that year, followed by 2017 and 2019, with Brad Cox winning in 2018. When Asmussen regained the crown last year by a 24-18 victory margin over Cox, he also came away with the distinction of being the meet's leading owner with five wins.

“Everything is different this year,” Asmussen said last week, referencing life in the COVID-19 era while adjusting the protective mask on his face as he stood outside of Churchill Downs. “It's going to take us a while to get the right horses there to run. I'm anxious to see what races go, who you'll be able to run. Nothing has been typical this year with anywhere we are running now.

“Purses have taken a hit everywhere, pretty much, very few exceptions to that. We are running the same horse for a little less money, but the pandemic caused that financial situation in a lot of things. We should be represented in most categories there. It is a bit different with Keeneland running five days in there, (with) their traditional stakes. We run a couple of days at Ellis, then five days at Keeneland then we resume. I think once we get through the Keeneland meet and you get horses moved back around, we'll have the right horses to run there.”

Each win at Ellis this summer will bring Asmussen a step closer to a goal he has long coveted: being the winningest thoroughbred trainer in history. He currently has 8,889 wins in a career dating to 1986, trailing only the late Dale Baird by 556, which puts Asmussen on pace to take over the lead next year.

Asked about not being shy in wanting to be No. 1 all-time, Asmussen laughed and said, “As opposed to not be? You do. We're blessed with opportunity. I feel we should win a lot more than we do already, and hopefully we'll correct that soon.”

Asmussen can get off to a fast start this meet in his defense of both his trainer and owner's titles, with a horse in three of the first four races Thursday, two of whom he owns. In the fourth race, Asmussen will send out Three Chimneys' first-time starter Fuego Caliente, the 7-5 favorite in the field of eight 2-year-olds. Fuego Caliente is a son of champion Will Take Charge, who stands in stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Woodford County. His mom is the Hook and Ladder mare Noble Fire, whose four winners from her first four foals to race include female sprint champion and $1.5 million-earner La Verdad and Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks winner Hot City Girl.

Asmussen has high praise for Ellis' track surface, which always has been known as a very good, safe surface, with former Keeneland track superintendent Javier Barajas taking over its care this year.

“We've been stabled at Ellis Park for a couple of weeks now, and I'm extremely pleased with the surface,” Asmussen said. “I think it's better than it's ever been.”

The trainer said he expects to be in the Aug. 9 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby, whose purse was doubled to $200,000 and distance extended to 1 1/8 miles. The winner will receive 50 points toward qualifying for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, almost assuredly guaranteeing a spot in the 20-horse starting gate for America's most famous race.

“I have horses I do plan running there,” Asmussen said. “I'm not positive who I plan on running, but we will run at least one. I think unprecedented is the situation we're in right now: Who you will run that may need points to secure your spot (in the Derby), or the fact that it is simply a good financial spot for who you have has yet to be determined. With having already run the Belmont Stakes, it's just a very different time for horse racing.”

Asmussen's Ellis Park operation is overseen by assistant trainer Mitch Dennison.

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Lexington-Based Assistant Trainer Miguel Delgado Killed In Car Accident

Miguel Delgado, an assistant trainer to William Morey based at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky., was tragically killed Saturday afternoon in a car accident, according to the Daily Racing Form.

The 53-year-old Delgado had been employed by Morey since 2016, but only recently relocated to Lexington. Prior to working for Morey, Delgado was a long-time employee of retired trainer Julio Canani.

He is survived by his wife, Graciela, and four sons, Miguel Angel, Ricardo, and twins Edgar and Oscar. The latter three work as horsemen in Southern California, while Graciela and Miguel Angel reside in Mexico.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay to transport Delgado's body to Mexico for burial and to cover funeral costs.