JC / Railbird - Santa Anita Barn Notes

Santa Anita Barn Notes

Trainer Bob Baffert’s Point of Impact was one of the many promising colts horseplayers have been eagerly looking forward to debuting this winter as a possible Kentucky Derby contender. On Wednesday, he appeared in an allowance at Santa Anita and seemed to ruin whatever Derby chances he had by acting rank, blowing the first turn and running to the outside rail. Point of Impact still managed to finish fourth, but it was hardly the performance of a colt you’d want to have a lot of money on come May 6. Jockey Victor Espinoza, though, has an excuse:

“He’s inexperienced and it was the first time he was going two turns … Going a mile, the turn is right there, plus he’s so big, he needed a little more time to get around the turn. After that it was great. He settled down the backside and finished good, but it was too much for him to overcome.”

Perhaps. Point of Impact does have a couple of months to figure out this whole racing thing, but I don’t think I’ll put him in the Derby top 10 just yet.
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Wild Fit, the impressive California filly last seen finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to Folklore, worked six furlongs in 1:12.4 at Santa Anita on Thursday. It’s expected the Patrick Biacone trainee will start next in the February 11 Las Virgenes Stakes.

Posted by JC in Track Notes on 01/27/2006 @ 8:55 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter