Liaison back to routine work as he turned in half-mile in good time
The newly turned-3-year-old colt, Liaison, unseated his rider Rafael Bejarano in the mid stretch in his 2012 debut in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and finished an unplaced eighth in the 1 1/16 mile test on 4 February, 2012, over the Santa Anita’s
fast main track.
Trainer Bob Baffert is of the view that the Santa Anita’s fast main track doesn’t suit, Liaison, that much and for his next start he is looking at Oaklawn Park or Fair Grounds.
The veteran trainer has a large string with ample Kentucky Derby prospects, and his focus will be on them when they take on races on the Derby trail.
The most important and the immediate one seems to be the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes on 25 February, 2012, which is a good race for his Triple Crown contenders and the contestants of that race, will be attracted toward the $1 million Louisiana Derby held
on 1 April, 2012.
Bob Baffert took Liaison out on the track without blinkers this time, and according to the Hall of Fame trainer the Kentucky bred son of Indian Charlie, out of mare Galloping Gal by Victory Gallop, Liaison worked just fine.
Arnold Zetcher’s Grade 1 CashCall Futurity winner turned in half mile, which was his first half mile work since losing the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, as he covered the distance in 47 seconds flat on 15 February, 2012.
Bob Baffert didn’t send Liaison alone, he was in company with Gator Warrior, who wasn’t far behind the Grade 1 winner, as he covered the distance in 47.80 seconds.
Liaison’s work turned out to be the second fastest out of 24 works over the distance of half a mile.
Out of 5 starts, Liaison, has won three and lost two. He lost his debut race on 3 September, 2011, at a mile at Del Mar over the venue’s synthetic surface, but bounced back well and broke his maiden at second asking over the Santa Anita’s dirt course at
about seven furlongs.
He was back at running over the synthetic surface, Hollywood Park’s cushion track, but this time stretched in distance of 1 1/16 miles. He downed the Real Quiet Stakes and the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in his next two starts.
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