Baffert’s Excellent Meeting Sweeps to Victory in Starlet

Whether Bob Baffert wins the Kentucky Derby for a third consecutive year in 1999 remains to be seen, but the trainer sure is sitting pretty for the Kentucky Oaks.

Not only does Baffert have Silverbulletday, who will win the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top 2-year-old filly for 1998, in his stable, he also trains Excellent Meeting, who made some history Sunday at Hollywood Park.

With an eight-length win in the $400,000 Hollywood Starlet, the 2-year-old daughter of General Meeting became the first horse to sweep the Del Mar Debutante, Oak Leaf Stakes and Starlet.

Ridden with confidence by jockey Kent Desormeaux, the 1-2 favorite moved to the outside on the backside, collared Lacquaria, the 2-1 second choice, at the head of the stretch and drew away for her fourth win in eight starts for owners John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm. She was clocked in 1:42 for the 1 1/16 miles, a fifth of a second off the Starlet record set by Serena’s Song in 1994.

Second to Silverbulletday in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs, Excellent Meeting may be able to turn the tables next year with more distance. She’s also maturing rapidly, according to Baffert, who, not surprisingly, won’t say which filly is better. Silverbulletday is owned by Mike Pegram.

“These two fillies are exceptional right now,” said Baffert. “This was definitely [Excellent Meeting’s] best effort. She didn’t get a hold of the track [at Churchill Downs] well. She had been training unbelievable.

“She’s just getting better and better. It’s nice to have two great fillies. We just need to keep them healthy; that’s probably the hardest part. They are in a league of their own.”

Looking for her third consecutive win, the previously unbeaten Lacquaria made the lead without much effort, but couldn’t cope with Excellent Meeting in the final quarter mile. She wound up 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 10-1 third-choice Perfect Six.

“She was in a good position on the lead, but she was just second best,” said jockey Chris McCarron. “Period.”

Desormeaux, who has been aboard for all but one of Excellent Meeting’s victories, never had any concerns Sunday.

“She was really up to the challenge today, she did everything perfect,” he said. “She just galloped. It was very, very sweet. She’s going to make me famous.”

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Remaining unbeaten on the Hollywood Park turf course, heavily favored Tuzla outbattled 19-10 second-choice Sonja’s Faith through the stretch to win the $100,000 Dahlia Handicap by a half length.

Owned by television producer and writer David Milch and trained by Julio Canani, the 4-year-old, French-bred filly rallied from last after a half-mile to win for the fourth time in Inglewood, clocking 1:41 3/5 for the 1 1/16 miles Sunday. Corey Nakatani was aboard the favorite, who paid $3.20 as the 3-5 choice.

Despite setting a very slow pace on a course that has been very kind to speed of late, Sonja’s Faith lost for the third time in as many meetings with Tuzla, but wound up five lengths clear of Curitiba. Call Me and Idealistic Cause completed the order of finish.

“I hadn’t been out to the races for six months,” said Milch. “I’ve been busy with the show [NYPD Blue]. She made it a little exciting, but she’s very genuine. I always feel that if she can look the other horse in the eye at the head of the stretch, we’ve got an even chance.”

The Dahlia was the fourth stakes win of the year for Tuzla and her eighth in 15 lifetime starts.

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Hollywood Park’s total mutuel handle Saturday was a record for the autumn meet, excluding the Breeders’ Cup. The figure of $15,549,425.10 exceeded the $13.6 million wagered a little over a year ago. . . . Puerto Madero, who hasn’t raced since finishing sixth in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August, is scheduled to make his return in the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap on Sunday. His trainer, Richard Mandella, has won the Grade III race the last two years and three of the last four.