Columnist Ralph Siraco: 2-year-olds acting up at summer meetings

Ralph Siraco

Monday, July 31, 2000 | 9:16 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

The Del Mar and Saratoga seasons are under way, and after today's races at the spas, one week of the short seasons will be in the record books.

Although the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar are the marquee races at the tracks, it's the 2-year-old racing that everyone looks forward to at the celebrated summer meetings.

Race trackers refer to these competitions as the "baby races."

A familiar rite of summer in racing is waiting for high-priced yearlings purchased by high-end owners to race under the care of high-profile trainers. Breed the best to the best and hope for the best, the adage goes.

For the past two years, the Daily Racing Form has published the "Players Guide," a compilation of useful information designed specifically for Del Mar and Saratoga.

In this year's edition, as in last year's, there is a two-page layout of those stables that have "babies" ready to run at Del Mar and Saratoga.

The section is authored by Lauren Stich, the Form's pedigree handicapper. Stich spent exhaustive hours compiling the trainers who have babies ready to start their careers during the summer meetings. Stich, with business partner Jim Lane of betovernet.com, won this past weekend's Bally's Handicapping tournament, taking home a cool $30,000.

Of the five eligible races run so far at Del Mar, two listed horses have won, in addition to one runner-up and a third-place finisher. The seven baby races contested so far at Saratoga have yielded a pair of winners, including the spa's opening day feature winner, Gold Mover.

At Del Mar, the list is headed by trainer Eoin Harty's stable. Harty, who served as an assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, is the private trainer for the powerful worldwide racing operation of sheikhs Maktoum al Maktoum and Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai and England. Racing under the banner of Godolphin Racing, Inc., the stable has at least 30 babies getting ready to race at Del Mar. One, E. Dubai, won on Saturday while another, Matta, finished third on opening day.

Godolphin spares no money when it comes to royally bred horses, and is rarely outbid in the auction ring. The Harty shedrow looks like a finishing school of the best equine bluebloods. Included are the aforementioned E. Dubai, along with Dubai Breeze, Dubai Moon, Dubai to Dubai, Dubai Vision, Dubai Visit and Dubai World.

Baffert is back with a barn full of babies. The Baffert color-bearers have already taken two winner's circle pictures. Flame Thrower got the ball rolling on Wednesday, and Fort Lauderdale scored on Sunday. Although the stable's most accomplished 2-year-old, the filly Notable Career, was beaten in Friday's feature race, Baffert has several ready to take up the slack. Among those are Congaree, Indy Lead, Kinshasa and Statement.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas split his freshman class between Del Mar and Saratoga. The seaside oval got a six-pack but the bulk of Team Lukas' operation is in upstate New York. Of the Del Mar contingent, Classical Charm heads the list.

Trainer John Sadler has as many as eight with Miss Alyetta, a filly by Alysheba, heading the stable. Bill Spawr, who has limited chances with babies, has a royally bred filly in Sweet Serendipty. She is a half-sister to last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Eclipse Award winner Anees.

At Saratoga, trainer John Kimmel has an arsenal. Of the 18 or so he brings to the spa, look for Las Manitas, Indy Glory, Erin Moor and Look of the Lynx to attract attention when they hit the track.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has six promising babies. His Airy Hill won the first of five baby races already contested at Saratoga. But the best in the barn may be a Hennessy colt named Harmony Lodge.

Shug McGaughey comes to Saratoga with his usual barn of youngsters from prominent Eastern stables. His blueblood crop includes Remember Sister, Awesome and a half-brother to Easy Goer in Spirit of the Run.

The complete list of 2-year-olds for Del Mar and Saratoga by Stich is available wherever the Daily Racing Form is distributed.