Spielberg catches The Great One, extends Baffert’s Futurity win streak

Dec 19, 2020 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Spielberg rallied to nail The Great One in the final stride of Saturday’s $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), registering his first stakes victory in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series qualifier.

The 2-year-old colt extended Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s Futurity win streak to 13, including all seven editions at Los Alamitos (formerly held at Hollywood Park). Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby scorer, has won the last seven runnings of the Futurity with seven different ownership groups.

Flavien Prat was up for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Sienna Farm, and Masterson. Spielberg left the starting gate as the 19-10 second choice among six juveniles.

The Great One, winless from three previous starts and overlooked at 33-1, sped to a clear lead from the starting gate. Spielberg stalked a few lengths back during the early stages, and he trailed by two lengths in upper stretch. The chestnut colt wore down the pacesetter late to prevail by a nose, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.56.

The Great One held second by 3 1/2 lengths over Petruchio. Red Flag, the 19-10 favorite, came next in fourth, and Weston and Positivity completed the order of finish.

The top four earned qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

Spielberg rebounded from a disappointing fourth as the favorite in the Nov. 15 Bob Hope S. (G3) at Del Mar. The Union Rags colt finished second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah S. (G1) before breaking his maiden in his fourth career start, and Spielberg has now earned $257,200 from a 6-2-2-1 record.

Purchased for $1 million at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, Spielberg was bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey. He’s the first stakes winner from the Smart Strike mare Miss Squeal.