Domestic Dispute’s Win Makes Baffert’s Weekend

Trainer Bob Baffert has had a couple of good days, thanks to his 3-year-olds.

After sharp works Friday by Kafwain, who is scheduled to make his 2003 debut Feb. 1 in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes, and Saturday by Vindication, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner whose comeback is probably a month or so away, Domestic Dispute dominated seven foes in the $150,000 Santa Catalina Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Owned and bred by Gary Garber, 5-2 second choice Domestic Dispute demonstrated he could be a force to be reckoned with this spring with, winning by three lengths and completing the mile in 1:35 3/5.

Reserved off the pace set by Our Bobby V. after breaking from the outside under jockey David Flores, the Unbridled’s Song colt took over with about an eighth of a mile to run and pulled away

This was the first stakes win for Domestic Dispute, who had been moved up to second behind Toccet in the Hollywood Futurity after Kafwain had been disqualified, and he is clearly improving.

“We’ve taken our time with him and he’s getting better and better,” said Baffert, who also won the 1999 Santa Catalina with General Challenge. “You’re going to start seeing horses develop right now and he’s one of them.

“Gary is easy to train for. He trusts my judgment. He knows I have a lot of horses, but he knows I’m going to take care of him. When you have nice 3-year-olds in your barn, you have to know that your people will trust you.”

One advantage Domestic Dispute had over his two main rivals was two-turn experience. The Santa Catalina, a Grade II, was his third route, while Our Bobby V., who wound up second, and Scrimshaw, the third-place finisher and 19-10 favorite, had only sprinted before Saturday.

Able to control the pace after winning his last two by a combined 11 lengths, Our Bobby V., the 5-1 fourth choice, was no match for the winner late, but finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of Scrimshaw.

“That was a pretty good race first time around two turns,” said Bill Spawr, the trainer of the runner-up. “[Rider] Laffit [Pincay Jr.] said he just got tired, so we’re happy. He has some experience now.”

The same holds true for Scrimshaw, who had been unbeaten in two local sprints for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis and trainer Wayne Lukas.

“I liked his race,” said Lukas. “He should move forward and that’s all I wanted.”

Crackup, the 7-2 third choice, was fourth, then came Storm Gulch, Hell Cat, Singletary and Robledo, who was pulled up early in the race by jockey Julie Krone. He had clipped heels coming out of the gate, but the problem didn’t appear serious.

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Making his first start in a stakes race and first around two turns, Offlee Wild, a 27-1 shot, outran Powerful Touch, another outsider at 9-1, to win the $100,000 Holy Bull on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

In the first significant prep for the Florida Derby on March 15, Offlee Wild, who had won once in three starts while sprinting in Kentucky, was running third just off the pace set by 5-2 second choice Bham, moved up on the outside of Powerful Touch entering the stretch and won by a head.

Owned by the Azalea Stables and trained by Thomas V. Smith, who had won the 1999 Holy Bull with Grits’n Hard Toast, Offlee Wild, a son of Wild Again, was ridden for the first time by Mark Guidry. He completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.

“He’s a really nice colt and he’s got a lot going for him,” said Smith, who won only four races in 2002.

The Fountain of Youth on Feb. 15 probably will be the next race for Offlee Wild and also for Powerful Touch, who had won two of three at seven furlongs in New York before the Holy Bull. He finished three lengths clear of Bham, who finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of 25-1 shot Supervisor.

The huge disappointment in the Grade III was Added Edge. Unbeaten in his first four starts in Canada and New York, the Smart Strike colt finished last as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 13. Well-placed early by jockey Patrick Husbands after breaking from the rail, Added Edge dropped back in his first race around two turns.

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Xtra Heat, the 1-5 favorite, toyed with her rivals and won the $52,000 What A Summer at Laurel. Ridden by Rick Wilson, she completed the six furlongs in 1:09 2/5 and has won seven of eight at the Maryland track.

At Aqueduct, Snake Mountain, part of an entry that was the 3-10 favorite, cruised to a 7 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Aqueduct Handicap.