Columnist Ralph Siraco: Move backfires on Baffert

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Nov. 5, 2001 | 9:22 a.m.

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

It was last Wednesday morning. The crowd started to assemble at the Santa Anita site where racing officials were set to draw for the 12th edition of Cal Cup Day -- a 10-race series highlighting the best equines born in California.

Saturday's California Cup was supposed to feature a solid healthy group of state-breds who did not make -- for one reason or another -- the big show at Belmont Park just one week before.

That big show, of course, was the 17th Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

Those in attendance Wednesday in Arcadia were still talking about the big Cal-bred who won the big race at the big show. Tiznow was now the topic of praise and admiration while horsemen waited for the post position draw to begin.

Along with recalling Tiznow's awesome repeat victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic came speculation about the biggest disappointment of the day. Officer, the Cal-bred freshman superstar, failed at 2/5 odds in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and many were wondering what trainer Bob Baffert would do with his tarnished Derby prospect after the colt's first defeat.

They didn't have to wait long.

There was pure surprise on the face and in the voice when the name Officer was pulled to match a post position for the California Cup Juvenile. As the crowd gasped, Officer's name was repeated and drawn to post number 10 in the 1 1/16th mile division for the two-year-old colts and geldings.

Why would Baffert even consider entering his prized juvenile in California just seven days after a fifth-place finish in New York? A juvenile who had flown back and forth across the country, raced against the top of his class at a demanding distance and failed to fire for the first time in his young but brilliant career? And, what would the owner of such a valuable equine say of his trainer's temporary insanity?

Well, those questions and more were hurled at Baffert.

The media-savvy conditioner simple stated his stable star didn't put out in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and, after his cross country return trip to California was "full of himself" as he traveled the track in a Wednesday morning gallop.

Baffert said he figured it was a good time to experiment with his pupil now rather than on the Derby trail.

Officer took off the blinkers and added jockey Gary Stevens to the package. Officer's owner Prince Ahmed Salman has a fondness for Stevens, and Baffert may have tipped his hand for the Derby trail when he added, "This will give Gary (Stevens) a chance to get to know him (Officer)."

All in all, the move was unorthodox in racing these days and almost unheard of. So, Baffert was setting himself up for undo criticism.

The betting public at Santa Anita pounded Officer to the prohibitive odds of 1-to-5. And, again, Officer got beat.

Shortly after the start of the Cal Cup Juvenile, Stevens wrested Officer way off the pace. Racing down the backstretch, Officer was weaving his way from the back of the field and had accelerated to pass 10 of his 11 rivals by the time they straightened for the homestretch. Officer had collared the leader Yougotawanna and appeared on his way to a shallow and predicted victory.

Then, 6,000 air miles, just seven days of rest and an ill-conceived riding tactic by Stevens hit the Bertrando offspring right between the eyes. Out of gas and out of apparent fight, Officer wavered as Yougottawanna re-rallied under Laffit Pincay, Jr., to post the Cal Cup Juvenile upset.

The final margin of victory was 1 1/2 lengths, but, in reality, it was thousands of miles and not enough time.

Now, the first Saturday in May at Louisville for the Kentucky Derby may be much farther than a cross country plane ride for Officer.