Baffert Exacta at Sunland

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert took home his second-consecutive GIII Sunland Derby trophy Sunday and swept the exacta for good measure. Tanma Corporation’s Chitu (Henny Hughes) was knocked down to slight 9-5 favoritism over 2-1 stablemate Midnight Hawk (Midnight Hawk), and the public had it exactly right as the former clawed back the advantage from his familiar foe in the stretch to post a 2 1/4-length tally. Florida invader Commissioner (A.P. Indy) completed the trifecta while well back of the top two. Avoiding some bumping among the middle gate starters, Team Baffert took up stalking spots early with Chitu pressing from second and Midnight Hawk not far behind while three deep. The pair asserted for command midway on the turn, with the keen Midnight Hawk putting his head in front at the quarter pole. Martin Garcia upshifted on Chitu with the use of some hard left-handers, and received the response he was looking for. The two colts appeared to brush several times in the stretch, but Chitu leveled off well and galloped out clear of his stablemate. “Right from the beginning I was happy with how they handled the paddock,” said Baffert’s assistant trainer Jim Barnes. “They went through the post parade well, and the break went well. It went just how I planned it… and it was just a matter of whether they’d get the distance or not. They certainly did.” 

Sunday, Sunland Park 
SUNLAND DERBY-GIII, $800,110, SUN, 3-23, 3yo, 
1 1/8m, 1:47 4/5, ft. 
1–#@CHITU, 122, c, 3, by Henny Hughes 
     1st Dam: Sea Gift, by A.P. Indy 
     2nd Dam: Ocean Queen, by Zilzal 
     3rd Dam: River Jig, by Irish River (Fr) 
($67,000 yrl ’12 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo ‘13 
OBSMAR). O-Tanma Corporation; B-Tom Evans, 
Macon Wilmil Equines & Marjac Farms (KY); T-Bob 
Baffert; J-Martin Garcia. $400,000. Lifetime Record: 
4-3-1-0, $501,800. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for 
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Midnight Hawk, 122, c, 3, Midnight Lute–Miss 
Wineshine, by Wolf Power (SAf). O-Hill ‘n’ Dale 
Equine Holdings Inc (J G Sikura), Kitchen, Pegram, et 
al; B-Michael E Pegram (KY); T-Bob Baffert. 
$176,000. 
3–Commissioner, 122, c, 3, A.P. Indy–Flaming Heart, 
by Touch Gold. O/B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd 
A Pletcher. $96,000. 
Margins: 2 1/4, 4 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.90, 2.10, 3.80. 
Also Ran: Rebranded, Bourbonize, Global Strike, Garen, Tanzanite Cat, Lawly’s Goal. Click for the brisnet.com chart or the brisnet.com PPs. VIDEO. 
    Chitu earned a solid 92 Beyer Speed Figure when breaking his maiden first up sprinting over the Hollywood synthetic Dec. 7, and paired up that number 20 days later going the same distance at Santa Anita. He was coming off a second-place effort in the GII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 8, where he finished one spot ahead of Midnight Hawk. Midnight Hawk, a  “TDN Rising Star”, took the GIII Sham S. in January and was a distant second to California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) last time in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 8. 
    The winner’s dam won her lone career start over 1 1/4 miles in Britain, and is out of Ocean Queen, winner of the GIII Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup Derby going nine furlongs on the lawn. Chitu is also related to MGSW Dance Parade (Gone West), responsible for last year’s G1 St Leger S. winner Leading Light (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Tanma Corporation is the nom de course of Susan Chu, whose colors were carried to victory by Bob Baffert trainee Super Ninety Nine (Pulpit) in last year’s GIII Southwest S.