Liaison stalks and pounces to Mervyn LeRoy win

Three of Liaison’s four career stakes wins have come at Hollywood Park (Benoit Photos) Arnold Zetcher’s Liaison tracked pacesetter Blueskiesnrainbows to the quarter pole, surged to the lead at the top of the stretch and was kept to task by Martin Garcia all the way to the wire in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,250 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park. The 5-2 second choice prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths and was clocked in 1:42 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles on the Cushion Track. “He out broke everybody, but I just let (Blueskiesnrainbows) take the lead and sat chilly in second,” Garcia said. “When I asked him to go, he responded. He finished the job.” Trained by Bob Baffert, Liaison returned mutuels of $7.80, $4 and $2.80.

Kettle Corn, the trailer for most of the race, rallied up the rail in the
stretch to easily earn the place, 2 1/2 lengths clear of Guilt Trip. It was
another half-length back to 2-1 choice Blueskiesnrainbows, who set a pace of :24
1/5, :47 2/5 and 1:11 2/5. Midnight Transfer and Vagabond Shoes completed the
order of finish after Tres Borrachos was scratched.

Winner of the CashCall Futurity and Real Quiet over the Hollywood Cushion
Track in 2011, Liaison failed to make an impact in any of his 2012 classic
preps, but did manage a decent sixth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby.

After placing in the Affirmed Handicap, Swaps and Jim Dandy last summer, the
son of Indian Charlie concluded his sophomore campaign with a ninth in the
Travers. He returned to action this term in the March 31 Santana Mile at Santa
Anita, winning by a half-length over Midnight Transfer. His record now stands at
14-5-1-3, $721,794.

Bred in Kentucky by the William Carl Estate, Liaison was a $290,000 Keeneland
September yearling. He was produced by multiple stakes winner Galloping Gal, a
daughter of Victory Gallop. This is the extended family of Grade 3 winners
Bright Again and Paddy’s Daisy.

Liaison descends from Real Delight, a Hall of Fame filly for Calumet Farm in
the early 1950s.

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