American Pharoah set to resume training in January

American Pharoah, the favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before being sidelined with an injury, is tack walking and will not return to the track to begin training until Jan. 1, his trainer, Bob Baffert, said Wednesday morning.

Baffert said American Pharoah would begin jogging Jan. 1. He said under the current schedule, American Pharoah “won’t run until March.”

“He’ll have a couple of outs before the Derby,” Baffert said.

The Santa Anita-based contingent of 2-year-olds turning 3 should be particularly strong this year, headed by Texas Red, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, as well as the highly regarded Dortmund, who is scheduled to run Saturday in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity.

Others worth following include Acceptance, Calculator, Lord Nelson, the comebacking Om, and the Delta Jackpot winner Ocho Ocho Ocho.

California Chrome emerged from Santa Anita’s preps this past season to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

Santa Anita’s meet begins Dec. 26.