Monday, July 26, 2004 | 9:15 a.m.
Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.
When Saratoga starts its spa meeting on Wednesday, the window to the future will swing wide open from coast to coast. Del Mar, the Left Coast's spa racing spot, got the jump by a week on its Eastern counterpart. Now that both summer meetings are under way, the baby watch is on.
Although the centerpiece races of the boutique race meets -- the Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Travers at Saratoga -- are not for freshman runners, it's first-year runners and first-time starters that are the staple of each spa season.
While Smarty Jones didn't start his magic carpet ride through the Triple Crown until the 11th month of his freshman year at Philadelphia Park, the horse that deprived him of a Triple Crown made an auspicious debut last year at Saratoga at age 2. Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone broke his maiden at first asking in the mud by more than a dozen lengths.
In fact, half of this year's 18 Kentucky Derby starters raced as 2-year-olds at either Del Mar or Saratoga. While Saratoga boasts five freshman maiden-breakers from six Derby starters, Del Mar had a trio of Derby performers with a single maiden win last year.
So, if there aren't any more Smarty Joneses waiting in the winter wings, next year's Kentucky Derby star may start his run in upstate New York or Southern California this summer.
From the pages of the Daily Racing Form Saratoga and Del Mar Players Guide, here are some freshman runners, with their sires in parentheses, from some of the leading trainers ready for action at the spas:
At Saratoga this year trainer Todd Pletcher has the most volume. Last year's Saratoga title-holder has almost 60 in his freshman class. Of those, Copyco (Cozzene) comes to Saratoga off an impressive grass win at Belmont Park.
Trainer John Kimmel has Blue Cypress by hot Seattle Slew sire Chief Seattle, along with Hallie Lyn (Yes It's True), Hot Dogger (El Prado) and Power Link (Successful Appeal). The D. Wayne Lukas barn is headed by Shark, a stylishly bred runner by Danzig out of Surfside (by Seattle Slew).
Neil Howard brings two to watch in Patriotic Act (A.P. Indy) and Student Council (Kingmambo). Trainer Mark Hennig has Key Causeway (Giants Causeway); Shug McGaughey has Salute (Unbridled); Dale Romans brings prospects Nives (El Prado) and Storm A Brewing (Storm Creek). Elliott Walden has Pulpit Exchange (Pulpit), and Nick Zito brings the filly Summer Queen (Summer Squall).
A pair of conditioners who normally aren't loaded with babies are at Saratoga with several first-year prospects. Bill Mott has Brigadier Brooks (Kris S.), Evangelism (Pulpit), Seeking Slew (Seeking the Gold) and the poker players' hunch bet in On The River (Grand Slam). Kieran McLaughlin has Bayou Breeze (A.P. Indy), El Raabi (Fusaichi Pegasus), the highly touted War Front (Danzig) and the perhaps appropriately named Takinghometheroses (Old Trieste).
Bob Baffert, who has guided the likes of Derby winners Silver Charm and Real Quiet along with stars such as Point Given and Vindication from seaside starts, brings the highly promising Christian Eagle (Seattle Slew).
Also heading Baffert's Del Mar baby assault is Inspiring (Golden Missile), who won her racing debut at Hollywood Park.
Richard Mandella, who won both the Del Mar Debutante with Halfbridled and the Del Mar Futurity with Siphonizer last year, returns this year with the fillies Cleft (A.P. Indy) and Aspen Mountain (Chief Seattle).
Trainer Vladimir Cerin brings Megabyte (Chief Seattle) and She's A Jewel (Successful Appeal), while Laura De Seroux has the filly All Duces Wild (Rahy). Ron Ellis brings a colt by a promising A.P. Indy sire named Declan's Moon (Malibu Moon). Mike Machowsky, who trains handicap star Southern Image, has Cadillac Cruiser (Touch Gold), and Jason Orman, who conditions sophomore star Rock Hard Ten, has Indian Ocean (Stormy Atlantic).
Although trainer Bob Hess brings the filly Savanna Charm (Silver Charm) for a seaside debut, his Chandtrue (Yes It's True) comes to Del Mar with the best juvenile record in the nation.
Each year at Saratoga and Del Mar the ritual of Derby dreaming is as prevalent as tank tops and cold beers.
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