CAT THIEF STEALS SWAPS STAKES; LUKAS COLT BEATS GENERAL CHALLENGE.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer When the four-horse Swaps Stakes The Swaps Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run at Hollywood Park Racetrack each year. The race is open to horses, age three. willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it carries a purse of $400,000. turned into a riveting two-horse race at the top of the homestretch home·stretch n. 1. The portion of a racetrack from the last turn to the finish line. 2. Informal The final stages of an undertaking. Noun 1. Sunday, anybody with a Racing Form rac·ing form n. An information sheet about horseraces. knew how Hollywood Park's big event for 3-year-olds had to end. Inching up on the outside was 1-2 favorite General Challenge, the Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. champion whose history suggested that if he was close, he'd win. Trying to fight back on the inside was the well-traveled Cat Thief, a colt whose pattern said that if it was close, he'd find a way to finish second. ``I thought for sure . . .,'' said Bob Baffert Bob Baffert (born January 13, 1953 in Nogales, Arizona) is an American horse owner and trainer. He graduated from the University of Arizona's Racetrack Management Program with a Bachelor of Science degree. , trainer of General Challenge, who figured he was about to add to his nation-leading seven Grade I stakes victories this year. And then Cat Thief did the unexpected. He showed some heart. D. Wayne Lukas-trained Cat Thief, ridden hard by Pat Day, fought back after losing the lead to General Challenge and David Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the in midstretch, and won by a head. Cat Thief covered 1-1/8 miles in 1:47 4/5 and paid $7.60. Long shot Walk That Walk was a distant third and rank Desert Hero was last. It was Cat Thief's first victory in eight starts this year, including seconds in the Fountain of Youth Fountain of Youth legendary fountain of eternal youth. [World Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 432] See : Unattainability and Blue Grass stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. and thirds in the Florida and Kentucky derbies. The $300,000 winner's share of the $500,000 purse put the son of Storm Cat over $1 million in earnings for Overbrook Farm's William T. Young William T. Young (February 15, 1918 - January 12, 2004) was an American businessman and major owner of thoroughbred racehorses. William T. Young attended the University of Kentucky where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. . ``It was a gutsier performance than the two times I rode him earlier this year,'' said Day, who was aboard Cat Thief in Florida before turning the mount over to Mike Smith and Jerry Bailey. ``I'd felt like there was a little more than he'd been giving me. But today I think we could have gone around (the track) two more times and he wouldn't have let the other horse by.'' ``Maybe getting his picture taken today will boost his confidence,'' Day added, hoping the victory marked the debut of a whole new Cat Thief. ``It should shape up to be a good late season.'' The Swaps kicks off the so-called ``second season'' for 3-year-old thoroughbreds. Owners John and Betty Mabee hoped it would set up General Challenge for the $1 million Pacific Classic against older horses Aug. 29 at Del Mar Del Mar is the name of several places in the United States of America:
``We have a lot to think about,'' Baffert said a day after the Mabees' Excellent Meeting was upset by Smooth Player in the Hollywood Oaks. Baffert said both offspring of General Meeting will go to Del Mar - but, typically, he wouldn't speculate on their next starts. Baffert's rival, Lukas, was in Lexington, Ky., for a horse auction Sunday, leaving assistant Greg Falk to saddle Cat Thief. ``I think the fans got their money's worth with that one,'' Lukas said by phone after the Swaps. ``What a horse race.'' Joked Baffert: ``It's one of those races where the fans got their money's worth, but I didn't get mine.'' The Swaps shared the second-to-last program of the 66-day meet with two other graded stakes: Dixie Union ($3.40) and Alex Solis came back at Exchange Rate and Corey Nakatani to win the Hollywood Juvenile Championship and give breeder and co-owner Herman Sarkowsky dreams of the 2000 Kentucky Derby. ``He's going to be in the Kentucky Derby for sure, right?'' Sarkowsky, founder of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise, based in Portland throughout its existence, entered the league in 1970 and has won the NBA Championship once, in 1977. and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, said with a laugh. ``Right now we know he can run 6 furlongs.'' Class jumper Plicck ($39.60) and David Flores kicked past Lazy Lode and Majorien and held off River Bay by a neck in the Sunset Handicap on turf. Then Plicck and River Bay were vanned off with non-life-threatening leg injuries. ``He took a bad step probably 50 yards from the wire,'' Flores said. ``He was easy on the lead by then and I just tried to hold him together. When he passed the wire, I pulled him up right away.'' Notes: Jockey Alex Solis' three winners Sunday gave him 56 going into closing day and clinched the Panamanian's fourth title in six Hollywood Park spring-summer seasons. Trainer Ron McAnally, with 25 winners, will lead the meet for the fourth time in nine years. . . . Today's Hollywood Park racing will be the last in metropolitan Los Angeles until the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita begins Sept. 29. |
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