Liaison , the 2011 CashCall Futurity (gr. I) winner, breezed six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan at Churchill Downs April 25.
The Indian Charlie colt is a $290,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase trained by Bob Baffert for Arnold Zetcher. He was timed in fractional splits of :12 3/5, :24 4/5, :37, and five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.
Baffert made a final decision on running Liaison in the Derby after the colt went to the track at Churchill for the first time April 24. After watching the colt on the track, he said there was a noticeable difference in how he handled Churchill’s surface compared with the one at Santa Anita Park, where he finished sixth in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).
“I liked his gallop yesterday,” Baffert said. “He’s a very lazy worker and today I sent him out with no company and Shaun did an excellent job with him.
Bred in Kentucky by the William A. Carl Estate, Liaison won the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park (now Betfair Hollywood Park) to conclude his 2011 campaign. He has been unplaced in three outings this year, including a fourth in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II).
Liaison, who has won three of seven starts and earned $487,560, will be ridden by Martin Garcia in the Derby.