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Baffert flattens Spark of Glory
By Sharan Kumar | 13 Feb 2004 | BANGALORE
Baffert (Poirier up) winner of The Stayers Trial Stakes being led by trainer Arjun Mangalokar
The long-distance races in India have a knack of springing unpleasant surprises. With the surfeit of races over sprints, long distance races are at a premium and upsets are par for these races. Spark of Glory who has changed stables as often as he has raced, was quoted at very cramped odds to win the 2400 metres Stayers Trial Stakes but the son of Razeen was flattened by hitherto low key performer Baffert who won as he pleased in impressive fashion. Spark of Glory had lot of hype about him as he had lost to Star of Windsor by a whisker but his subsequent performances may point to his being suspect over mile and half trips. Baffert won the race from the word `go’, quickening nicely in the run in for home to provide Arjun Mangalorkar one of those elusive wins while Spark of Glory did not show any spark at any stage of the race and was beaten to the second spot without any semblance of a fight.
Jockey Rajendra was summoned to ride Spark of Glory who carried universal confidence with him. Baffert who hadn’t done anything noteworthy after finishing third in the Golconda Derby last year, finally struck form, enjoying the front-running tactics employed by jockey Michael Poirier. Baffert had a break of over five lengths as the field settled to traverse the mile and half trip, with Aerographer racing in second position ahead of Spark of Glory, with the rest of the runners spread out behind them. Approaching the final bend, jockey Rajendra moved up on Spark of Glory only to find the favourite not quickening the way he wanted even as Baffert sped away for a facile win. Spark of Glory plodded on to be second ahead of Aerographer.
Dominic trained Red Fort was ridden to victory over Clarentia and Crystal Hill by jockey Faisal. The favourite was lucky to keep the race because a valid objection by jockey Appu was surprisingly overruled. Red Fort shifted in from wide outside, leaning on to Crystal Hill and bumping him in the process who ducked towards the rails and Clarentia who was picking up momentum had to be badly checked. Clarentia had to change course and finished up an impressive second. Surprisingly, jockey Vivek did not lodge an objection against Faisal who rode Red Fort for bumping and squeezing him out of reckoning. Appu raised an objection against Faisal for causing a chain reaction, which adversely affected Clarentia’s chances. The overwhelming opinion was that the objection should have been upheld but then the Stewards who are not exactly known for their adeptness at handling such situations did not enhance their reputation any bit by their decision. The Stipes have been totally wanting as there are too many of them and each of them have an opinion of their own so much so that they are much
more confused than the Stewards themselves whom they are supposed to guide! While two of them take contradictory stand, the third one compounds it by being neither here nor there while the junior ones are not too strong in their opinions. Or may be their opinions are not given due consideration.
Both the divisions of the February Plate, a race for maiden three-year olds went the way of favourites. Laughing Wild proved too good for the opposition in the upper division, winning at the expense of late-finishing Power of Dreams, Polar Force won in emphatic fashion the lower division of the race.
Just one horse cornered all the support in the betting ring in the Bandipur Cup (Div I) and that was Port To Port. Unfancied Royal Highlander hit the front from the start and refused to vacate his position to favourite despite lackadaisical effort on t he part of jockey D Patel who had to reluctantly steer his mount to victory. In the lower division, favourite Young Warrior faced no such problems, accounting for the opposition without much fuss.
Capannelle proved too good for the opposition in the Maj C Desraj Urs Memorial Plate. Hitting the front as soon as the horses flew out of the gates, Capanelle kept on increasing the lead to check in well clear of Crown Ambassador and favourite Lion Hunter. Lion Hunter was none too well placed and was given too much to do by jockey Prakash.
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