Anneau d’Or finally gets his chance at Santa Anita Derby

Anneau d’Or, winless in three races, all graded stakes, since a narrow loss in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November, will start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on June 6, trainer Blaine Wright said earlier this week.

Anneau d’Or was considered a candidate for the Santa Anita Derby on its original date of April 4, but the race was postponed when the track was ordered closed in late March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Santa Anita reopened on May 15.

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Anneau d’Or was redirected to Oaklawn Park where he ran fifth in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, finishing 9 1/2 lengths behind the winner, Charlatan.

Wright said the five weeks between races should suit Anneau d’Or, and that the colt “really likes that track.”

Owned by Peter Redekop, Anneau d’Or finished second by a head in the BC Juvenile at Santa Anita. He was later second by a neck in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity last December. Anneau d’Or was ninth of 11 as the even-money favorite in a division of the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in February.

At Oaklawn Park, Anneau d’Oro was unable to recover from a slow start, Wright said.

“He broke terrible last time and we had to use him more to get position on that track,” he said.

Victor Espinoza is booked to ride Anneau d’Or for the first time in the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby, at 1 1/8 miles.

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The race has a projected field of six led by Authentic and Honor A. P., the first two finishers in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 7 at Santa Anita. Other candidates are Azul Coast, Rushie, and Shooters Shoot.

Rushie, the winner of an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on May 2, will be ridden by leading rider Flavien Prat, trainer Michael McCarthy said on Friday. Rushie will have his fifth start and stakes debut in the Santa Anita Derby.

The June 6 program has six stakes, including the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles. Thursday, Santa Anita officials announced that the race’s original title has been restored. Hollywood Park closed in 2013. From 2014 through 2019, the race was known as the Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

The $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup is the leading race for older horses in the spring portion of the track’s winter-spring meeting, which began on Dec. 28.

The program will include the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, a $200,000 race at 1 1/16 miles.