Can Boys At Tosconova finish the job for Officer?
It may end up taking nine years but Bob Baffert’s belief in one of his horses may yet be vindicated – if only vicariously.
Describing a juvenile colt as “a great horse” before the end of the season is something of a hostage to fortune but the ever-quotable Baffert felt sure that Officer was about to earn his stripes in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile when it was run Belmont Park. He was even prepared to compare the son of to his 1997 Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm.
Officer went into the Juvenile undefeated in five career starts, including the Grade Two Del Mar Futurity Grade One Champagne Stakes, which he had won over the Juvenile course and distance by three-and-three-quarter lengths. But he disappointed and finished unplaced in the race, finishing fifth to Johannesburg, ran only once as a three-year-old – missing all the Triple Crown races – and was retired to stud with a career record of six wins from nine starts.
Now one of his sons, Boys At Tosconova, may be about to set the record straight after he won the Grade One Hopeful Stakes on the final day of the Saratoga meeting. There were only four runners in the race and, from a long way out, only one of them ever really counted.
Stay Thirsty set the early fractions from Wine Police but it was Boys At Tosconova who delivered the champagne moment, as Ramon Dominguez brought him three-wide off the turn to ease for a one-and-three-quarter-length win over Stay Thirsty, clocking a respectable time despite doing nothing in the final furlong.
Boys At Tosconova – who won his maiden race at Belmont Park in July by 12 lengths - is unbeaten in his two starts for trainer Rick Dutrow (pictured), having transferred to Duttrow in a private deal with new owners Jay Em Ess Stable, having finished second in the Grade Three Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs in April for Bob Hess Jnr.
He is now on course for this year’s Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on November 6th. Duttrow can usually be relied upon to talk a good race and he had no qualms about the step up from seven to nine furlongs. "It’s a matter of two turns with him," he said to the Blood Horse "and we certainly are not going to be afraid of it.
“He was good enough to get this job done, the right way. The first time we ran him, he didn’t break on the lead, and he was OK behind horses. The first time he had run, he came from dead last. It’s not like he needs the lead, as anyone can see. But if he ever does wind up on the lead, it’s going to be tough to pass him. It seems to us he has no limit. He’ll just keep running and running and running.
“We’re just excited to have him. He’s very exciting to be around. I was confident. I thought we had the best horse in the race. I told Ramon, 'If he breaks on the lead, let them just follow you around there; if not, that will work to our advantage because he loves a target. I knew it was better to come from off the pace."
Dominguez also believes that the best could be yet to come. "When he broke, I just decided to put him where he was comfortable, so I just eased him to the outside," he said. "He did it so easy and he even galloped out strong past the seven-eighths pole. It's really exciting for me because it's hard to come across a two-year-old this nice. Like every time you give him a chance he will take a deep breath, relax, and look around. He's very, very professional. I didn't have to hit him today and hopefully I won't have to. It was that easy."
If Dominguez is right Officer might finally be vindicated.
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