Baffert wants to see Liaison train at Churchill Downs ahead of the Kentucky Derby
Winner of the Grade 1, $1 million CashCall Futurity Stakes as a juvenile, Liaison’s next stop is the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on 5 May, 2012, and the Bob Baffert trained colt will be heading to Churchill Downs on 23 April, 2012,
where his trainer wants to see him train over the Churchill Downs fast dirt track.
“I want to take him over there and train him on the track,” trainer Bob Baffert said at his stable on the Santa Anita backstretch.
“A lot of horses move up when they get out of here.”
Though, Liaison came out of 2011 as the nation’s best juvenile with a stakes win and a grade 1 win under his belt with three wins out of four starts altogether, couldn’t really show that winning attitude as a sophomore where he had to contend with serious
talent.
Going in as a sophomore, Liaison participated in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles, he had a troubled trip over the Santa Anita’s dirt course as he finished 8th to winner, I’ll Have Another.
It was evident that the Arnold Zetcher owned 3-year-old colt was going to target the Santa Anita spring/summer meet for the Kentucky Derby prep races, and his second race of the season was the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes also run over a distance of 1 1/16
miles.
On 10 March, 2012, at the Santa Anita dirt course, Liaison finished a dismal race once again, as he finished 4th to winner, Creative Cause, with the winning time of 1 minute and 41.84 seconds, while Bodemeister and Midnight Transfer finished second
and third, respectively.
The Kentucky bred son of Indian Charlie, out of mare Galloping Gal by Victory Gallop, Liaison’s final prep race was the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on 7 April, 2012, where he finished well off the board once again in 6th to winner, I’ll
Have Another.
With three wins out of seven starts, Liaison has earned $487,560, giving him enough leverage to make the Derby gate on the first week of May.
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