Baffert on the bounce back
Cliff Brown-trained 5YO is most impressive winner at Tuesday's trials
Baffert deserves better. Three times in his last four starts, he has placed second.
Premier Racing and Forever Lucky Stable must be wondering what they must do to break that frustrating string of runner-up showings.
Well, sometimes there's nothing one can do - especially when the horse exhibits all the signs of a winner in trials and trackwork.
Like on Tuesday morning at the trials, Baffert beat them all.
The winning margin in that final hit-out of the morning was just half a length. But the manner in which the Cliff Brown-trained five-year-old carved out that win was good stuff.
One of five horses seen with a chance at the 200m mark of that 1,000m sprint, it was Baffert who finished best.
And he won it on his terms. No need for jockey Michael Rodd to bring out the persuader. No need to be scrubbed along and certainly no need for any niggles on the ribs.
Baffert knew just what to do and, in that dash to the line, he was the one who came though with a flourish.
His time of 61.98sec was the slowest of the six trials run that day. But, we all know that it's what a horse brings to the races which is important.
It is also worth noting that the last time Baffert won a trial, he went on to win at his next race start.
That was way back in January. On Jan 4, a Thursday morning, Baffert beat Mr Colin at the trials. Eight days later, on a Friday night, he beat Preferred by a healthy margin in a 1,100m sprint.
Sometimes in racing, patterns emerge. Who knows? Maybe this could be another one of those mind-boggling coincidences? Whatever, I'll keep Baffert on my watch-list the next time he goes to the races.
Also in that same trial, I liked the effort of Whizzy Waltzzy.
He would eventually run second to Baffert but, the winner aside, the New Zealand-bred from Leticia Dragon's yard was travelling best of the rest.
A tad slow to get into stride, he had just one behind him when they straightened for the run home.
But, with new man Marc Lerner in the saddle and scrubbing him along, Whizzy Waltzzy took flight close home to claim that runner-up spot - a shorthead in front of Pure Justice.
Whizzy Waltzzy has yet to start paying for his feed and fodder, but he does seem to be finding his way around a racetrack and a breakthrough could come sooner rather than later.
I was also impressed with the way Whose Else's won the morning's penultimate trial.
Ridden by Amirul Ismadi, he clocked 61.71sec when beating Our Showcase, who was having a blinkers test.
It's been almost a year and a half since Whose Else's last trotted into the winner's circle but positive signs are beginning to show and, the trial win confirmed one thing.
For a seven-year-old, the Stephen Gray-trained Whose Else's can still raise a pretty good gallop and a third career win isn't out of the question.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now