Siphonic Standing in Wayof Officer’s Rebound Try

While Bob Baffert was winning his third Hollywood Futurity in four years with Point Given 12 months ago, fellow trainer Dave Hofmans finished second in the Grade I with Millennium Wind.

Hofmans is hoping to turn the tables Saturday. Siphonic, the 2-year-old son of Siphon, is likely to be favored over the Baffert-trained Officer and six others in the $460,750 Futurity.

Third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after winning a maiden race at Del Mar and the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, Siphonic, owned by John and Jerome Amerman, drew in the middle of the field--he’ll break from post 4--and will be ridden by Jerry Bailey.

Beaten by only 21/2 lengths by Johannesburg on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park, Siphonic has trained well since the Breeders’ Cup and this will be his first start on his home track.

Looking to rebound after having his reputation tarnished by consecutive losses at 7-10 and 2-5 odds in the Breeders’ Cup and California Cup, respectively, Officer is drawn right outside of Siphonic. Trying to win for the first time around two turns, the son of Bertrando will be ridden by David Flores, replacing Gary Stevens, who is in Hong Kong.

The rest of the Futurity field, from the rail out, includes Brigadier Jones; Mountain Rage, who is also trained by Baffert; Yougottawanna, who upset Officer in the California Cup Juvenile; Labamta Babe; Publication, who was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and Fonz’s. Siphonic, Brigadier Jones, Publication and Labamta Babe were all supplemented to the Futurity for $10,000.

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Entries also were taken Thursday for two other stakes Saturday.

Heads Will Roll, a 3-year-old filly trained by Bobby Frankel, is the 117-pound highweight in the $150,000 Dahlia Handicap at 11/16 miles on the turf and Tranquility Lake will be favored in the $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap at 11/16 miles on the main track.

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There is a pick-six carryover for today of $79,048.