Columnist Ralph Siraco: Baffert, Frankel charge to front of pack

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Aug. 27, 2001 | 10:30 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday in the Sun and his California selections appear Tuesday-Sunday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074.

The "B&B" boys struck again over the weekend. It seems that the racing world belongs to trainers Bob Baffert and Bobby Frankel, and we're just living in it.

And, for backers of the "B&B" boys, life is sweet.

As summer racing winds down, the road to the World Thoroughbred Championship Breeders' Cup gears up for the big fall meetings at Belmont Park and Oak Tree at Santa Anita, with key stakes engagements leading to racing's championship day at Belmont Park on Oct. 27.

While the Labor Day weekend will officially close the spa racing at Del Mar and Saratoga, last week Del Mar's Pacific Classic yielded a victory for Bobby Frankel's Skimming, and Saturday's Travers Stakes at Saratoga went to Bob Baffert's leading sophomore, Point Given.

Frankel, in the meantime, swept the Del Mar Handicap with the first three finishers on the seaside turf course. Baffert returned on Sunday to capture the Del Mar Debutante -- the 2-year-old filly title-decider at the beach racing emporium.

So Baffert and Frankel continue to dominate the big races on the road to the Breeders' Cup.

Here's a look at what happened over the weekend in racing:

Mother Nature cooperated to ensure a record turnout at Saratoga on Saturday. The historic upstate New York track set attendance and handle records while hosting a vintage program.

Although trainer Frankel saddled long shot Harrisand (an also-ran) in the Travers, the Hall Of Fame conditioner did score a solid victory in the Grade I King's Bishop Stakes before the main event. California speedster Squirtle Squirt sped to a gate-to-wire victory under jockey Jerry Bailey, posting a winning time of 1:21.4 for the seven furlongs, and paid $5 as the favorite. "Squirt" is squarely on target for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Almost every one of the record 60,486 that packed the aging Saratoga course came to watch the "big guy," Point Given. The Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner returned to the East exactly three weeks after a gutty victory in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 5. Ridden with utmost confidence by jockey Gary Stevens, the son of Thunder Gulch rolled by E. Dubai at the top of the homestretch to post a 3 1/2-length victory.

Jockey Jerry Bailey, aboard E. Dubai, who had just cleared the lead on the final turn, glanced back to see the big horse coming. Stevens would say later that he wanted to tell Jerry, "Yup, I'm already here," meaning it was all over, as Point Given pulled away for the victory in the 1 1/4-mile $1 million Grade I centerpiece. Dollar Bill checked in third while the winner was timed in 2:01.2 for a $3.30 payoff.

Baffert will ship Point Given, owned by prince Ahmed Salman's Thoroughbred Corporation, back to California in final preparations for the Breeders' Cup Classic. He indicated Point Given may start next in the Grade II Goodwood Handicap at Oak Tree at Santa Anita on Oct. 7.

Later on Saturday, the Grade II Del Mar Handicap showcased three more Frankel trainees. Northern Quest, Super Quercus and Timboroa outnumbered and outclassed four other competitors in the 1 3/8-mile turf marathon. Ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr., Timboroa beat stablemates Northern Quest and Super Quercus in the $250,000 feature. Uncoupled from the runner-up and third-place finisher, Timboroa returned $8.80 for the win. Frankel now has options for the Breeders' Cup turf events.

On Sunday at Del Mar, the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante showcased the best young fillies at the beach over seven furlongs. Baffert found himself in the awkward position as second choice to former assistant trainer Eoin Harty.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashad Al Maktoum hired Harty to train a powerful U.S. division for his Godolphin Racing, Inc. Tempera has been Godolphin's brightest prospect at the Del Mar stand. The A P Indy offspring had a pair of solid wins at the beach, while Baffert unleashed another Thoroughbred Corporation talent in Habibti, who had overcome a bad start to win her only outing.

Tempera had the edge in experience, but Habibti had the edge in conditioners. It became obvious early in the Grade I race that Habibti would outrun her rival if she could get the racing room she needed. At the top of the homestretch, a seam materialized and jockey Victor Espinoza sent an anxious Habibti shooting through the hole.

Prevailing by daylight, Habibti gave Baffert -- and not Harty -- a solid Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies contender. Tempera finished third and Who Loves Aleyna completed the exacta. Habibti gave Baffert a fifth victory from the last seven Del Mar Debutantes and returned $6.60 to win while clocking in at 1:22.1.