BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Fifth in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach in October, Florida-bred Won for Lou has easier company in search of his first stakes victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Baffle Stakes for seven 3-year-olds going six-and-a-half furlongs on the downhill turf at Santa Anita.

Quick from the start in the Zuma Beach going a mile on the Santa Anita turf, Won for Lou led determinedly through the first seven furlongs but tired to finish fifth behind winner Stark Contrast. That came after he had won a maiden special weight in his second start in July then was unplaced behind winner and Baffle Stakes-rival Hey Nay Nay (Ire) after a difficult trip in the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf in September, both going a mile on the Del Mar grass.

Trainer Doug O’Neill then tried sprinting Won for Lou at Del Mar, but he finished sixth in a first condition, $80,000 optional claiming on grass on November 2 then fifth in a $50,000 optional claiming starter allowance on the main track on November 28.

Won for Lou has earned $58,880 for owners Chester Bishop and his Bishop Racing, Lyle Egan and Anthony Hinkson. His record stands at one win in six starts and a third.

Won for Lou is by Bucchero out of Style Show, by Red Ransom and was bred in Florida by Bishop Racing.

He has post one and jockey Edwin Maldonado.

The horse to beat appears to be Hey Nay Nay (Ire), who was third last out in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille over a mile on the Del Mar turf on Nov. 31. After winning the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, the son of No Nay Never finished tenth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on October 29.

Hey Nay Nay is trained by John Sadler and has earned $178,000 for owners Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing. He has won three of five starts with one third.

Hector Berrios gets the mount on Hey Nay Nay and they have post three.

Others set for the Baffle are Greenwich Village and rider Juan Hernandez, Cal’s Goal with Armando Ayuso getting the riding assignment, Track Tiger with Emisael Jaramillo in the saddle, Bust Out will have Kazushi Kimura up and Umberto Rispoli will guide Later Than Planned (Ire).

Return to the January 23 issue of Wire to Wire