Yakteen Looks to 'Score' With First BC Starter

ARCADIA, Ca – Of all the trainers stabled on the Santa Anita backside this week, Southern California regular Tim Yakteen may have the most unique perspective and the greatest appreciation for the opportunity to compete in Friday and Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Championships–not because the conditioner hasn't been around his share of gifted Thoroughbreds, but because he understands just how rare it is to find a horse with the perfect blend of skill and fortune to reach the prestigious event. Yakteen, who set out on his own in 2004 after spending 18 years as an assistant to Hall of Famers Bob Baffert and Charlie Whittingham, will have his first ever Breeders' Cup starter when George Krikorian's Big Score (Mr. Big) goes postward in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

“I had a lot of memories with Bob and a lot of memories with Charlie,” Yakteen said, standing just outside his office in Barn 98 Monday morning. “It was a great experience, and I'm very fortunate to have been under those two individuals.”

But the trainer's outlook is also understandably shaped by his experience in 2013, when his fleet-footed California-bred Points Offthebench (Benchmark) loomed as the likely favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint off a four-race win streak, but suffered a catastrophic injury during training one week out from the race. Knowing how quickly things can turn in the business, Yakteen said he takes nothing for granted as his talented 2-year-old colt completes his final preparations for Friday.

“[This week] also brings up a lot of memories that aren't as enjoyable as others,” he reflected. “But it's pretty exciting to move forward from that and have another opportunity. Being in this industry as long as I have, you have to respect the opportunities, and you don't come across horses that make themselves eligible for the Breeders' Cup that often–so I consider it a privilege.”

Fortunately for Yakteen and his long-time assistant Jon Applegarth, Big Score appears to be thriving on his home turf. The handsome dark bay, who was already asleep in his stall a few hours after training and schooling in the gate Monday, has won two of his three starts–including an authoritative 3 1/4-length victory that fit his name well in the local Zuma Beach S. Oct. 10 [video].

“Touch wood, all is going good,” Yakteen said, taking a few steps to knock on one of the panels of the barn. “We pushed his workout up a day because we had rain, which really didn't materialize. But we didn't want to get pushed back…Today, we galloped and we stood in the gate. Those were our final touches. From now on, we'll just go out early in the morning and gallop.”

Interestingly, Big Score trains in an outside extension blinker to increase his efficiency when he races.

“He wants to hang on the left rein a little bit, and I like my horses to get an even hold and not get one-sided,” explained Yakteen, now accompanied by the barn's resident canine assistant, Hiccup. “It's an easy little deal for me to get him off the inside rail in his training in the morning, and that way I don't have to worry about it transferring to the afternoon. He's very responsive and push-button.”

As evidenced by Yakteen's tweaks in the colt's training, Big Score has been a work in progress from day one. The German-born trainer, who first came to America in 1982, said that he has noticed increases in maturity from Big Score in each of his three starts. The May foal won at first asking over the Del Mar lawn and ran second in the Sept. 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. prior to his win in the Zuma Beach. Yakteen admitted that Big Score gave very little indication that he was a special horse leading up to his career unveiling.

“Prior to his first start, he really never flattered himself in the mornings,” the trainer recalled. “But having the pedigree he did, obviously we assumed he was going to be a grass horse, so that's why we opted for the grass first out. Subsequently, from his first race onward, the horse actually went through a transformation and developed into a much bigger, stronger horse.”

Big Score [pedigree] is a Krikorian homebred sired by Mr. Big (Dynaformer), who won twice in nine starts for the owner. Although Yakteen does not currently have any other runners sired by Mr. Big in his barn, he noted that Krikorian has bred 39 of his mares to the stallion and many of the foals may be in his hands in the future.

In the meantime, Yakteen is soaking up the Breeders' Cup experience. Just prior to returning to his barn at morning's end, the 52-year-old remained out on the frontside of the track to watch Juvenile Turf rival Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) post what he deemed to be a “really impressive” workout over the grass course. Yakteen said he has also enjoyed the buildup to the Classic, commenting on the impeccable appearances of favorites California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) and Arrogate (Unbridled's Song)–who happens to be trained by Bob Baffert.

Yakteen has been a student of the game for long enough to know that racing has its highs and lows, and if he has his way Friday, Barn 98 may be celebrating one Big Score.