Baffert's Latest Star

Midnight Hawk, Mike Smith up, on the track before the Sham Stakes (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Now that the calendar has turned a page and we're in January, Derby fever has begun in earnest. At Santa Anita this past weekend, the first in a series of Derby trials - the Sham Stakes at a distance of one mile on the main track - was held. 

Of course, you can't have a Derby trail in Southern California without Bob Baffert, who routinely seems to have three or four valid candidates for an appointment at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. That's true again this year, even after Baffert's best young horse, the Breeders' Cup-winning New Year's Day had to be retired due to injury. 

He's got a few colts lined up; Chitu, who is 2 for 2, Tap It Rich (who has been acting up in his races), The Admiral and Icy Ride, who are both 0 for 2, but have run in two very tough maiden races (The Admiral was third to Chitu in his debut, while both horses were defeated by Cool Samurai from the John Shirreffs barn in a December 27 maiden race), and now, Midnight Hawk. The son of Midnight Lute, who won the Breeders' Cup Sprint twice for Baffert and owner Mike Pegram (Pegram is co-owner and breeder of Midnight Hawk), Midnight Hawk is out of the Wolf Power mare Miss Wineshine. Other co-owners of the horse include Mike Tice, currently offensive line coach of the Atlanta Falcone, Joel Queneville, head coach of the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks and his assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Trainer Bob Baffert with co-owner Mike Tice in the paddock (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

This was the second race for Midnight Hawk; his first was impressive, to say the least. On December 13 at Hollywood Park, he broke slowly, but soon gained momentum and swept by the other five horses in the field, winning this 7 and 1/2 furlong race by a resounding 6 and1/4 lengths in 1:29.1. Baffert had fitted the horse with blinkers for that race, but removed them for the Sham, as he believed the horse wanted to show speed. His decision was a wise one, as Midnight Hawk went with Kristo, a John Sadler-trained colt to the front in this two-turn mile. The horses stayed on even ground for much of the race, with each taking the lead at some point, but when Mike Smith asked Midnight Hawk for more at the top of the lane, the horse took command, charging home for a 1 and 3/4 lengths victory. 

Photos ©Tom Hyland

So Midnight Hawk is on the Derby trail, but before anyone gets too excited, let's note that he only beat three maiden winners in this race; also the final time of 1:36.48 was hardly earth-shattering. Still the horse has done everything asked of him in his brief career to date and given that Baffert is his conditioner (he has won the Kentucky Derby three times), you certainly has to like his chances on the road to Louisville.