American Pharoah, Texas Red prep toward 2015 campaigns

ARCADIA, Calif. – The $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds Jan. 10 will be the first stakes for the division in Southern California in 2015, a chance for several up-and-coming colts and geldings to show they belong in the important stakes leading to the Triple Crown.

Two of the division’s established runners – American Pharoah and Texas Red – will not start in the Sham but were on the track Saturday morning at Santa Anita, progressing toward their first starts of the year. American Pharoah and Texas Red are leading candidates for the Eclipse Award for the nation’s outstanding 2-year-old of 2014.

American Pharoah, who won two Grade 1 races in September – the Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs Sept. 3 and the FrontRunner Stakes over 1 1/16 miles Sept. 27 at Santa Anita – jogged on the main track for the first time since returning to training following a minor injury that prevented him from starting in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Owned by Zayat Stables, American Pharoah could make his 2015 debut in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles March 7. American Pharoah has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $361,500.

Texas Red, who won the BC Juvenile, worked five furlongs in 1:02.40. He missed training for several days in late December because of concern over swelling in an ankle, trainer Keith Desormeaux said. Desormeaux said the ankle is no longer an issue.

“He must have done it in his stall,” Desormeaux said. “We gave him a week to tighten up.”

Saturday’s workout was the second for Texas Red since he resumed serious training after the BC Juvenile.

Desormeaux timed Texas Red in 1:02.20 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60. He plans to run Texas Red in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs Feb. 1.

“Time is on my side,” Desormeaux said.

Owned by the partnership of Erich Brehm, Wayne Detmar, Lee Michaels, and Desormeaux, Texas Red has won 2 of 5 starts and earned $1,192,300.

As of Saturday, there were eight probable starters for the Sham Stakes – Calculator, Hero Ten All, Lord Nelson, Papacoolpapacool, Rock Shandy, Rockinatten, St. Joe Bay, and Unblunted.

Calculator was second to American Pharoah in the Del Mar Futurity and the Grade 1 FrontRunner. Lord Nelson won the Speakeasy Stakes over six furlongs Oct. 16 at Santa Anita but was fifth as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29.

Rockinatten recently joined trainer Doug O’Neill’s stable. A gelding by the Dixie Union stallion High Cotton, Rockinatten was previously trained by Ralph Nicks. Rockinatten won a maiden race over seven furlongs Oct. 26 at Gulfstream Park West in his third start.