Aqueduct: Bay Shore winner J J's Lucky Train points to Derby Trial

One 3-year-old not entered for Saturday's Jerome at Aqueduct was J J’s Lucky Train, the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes winner who will be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on April 30.

Trainer Bill Anderson said he chose the Derby Trial over the Jerome because it gave him an extra week from the Bay Shore and was a week closer to the Woody Stephens at Belmont on June 11, a race that is his primary objective.

Anderson said Wednesday that he went “back-and-forth’’ between the Jerome and the Derby Trial, but said the latter race “works out a little better.’’

Anderson said J J’s Lucky Train would ship from Parx Racing to Churchill Downs next Wednesday.

Data Link out with injured leg

Data Link, a promising 3-year-old trained by Shug McGaughey, sustained a fractured cannon bone in his right hind leg and will be out until late summer.

Data Link, a son of War Front, suffered the injury during a workout at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a start in last Saturday's Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. McGaughey said that the colt already had surgery and will need 30 days of stall rest and 30 days of turn out time before returning to training sometime in mid-to-late June.

“I was looking forward to running him, then that happens,’’ said McGaughey, whose colt had won three consecutive turf races, including both starts this year. “Nothing you can do about it.’’

Meanwhile, McGaughey said his stakes-winning 3-year-old turf horse Air Support will make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 American Turf at Churchill Downs on May 16.

Also, McGaughey said Gone Astray came out of his fifth-place finish in the $1 million Charles Town Classic in good order and will likely be pointed to a race at Monmouth, possibly the $75,000 Skip Away Stakes on May 30.

Gone Astray finished fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Duke of Mischief in the Charles Town Classic.

“I thought he ran a good race,’’ McGaughey said. “He got hung out wide the whole way and made a good move.’’

No simulcasting at Big A next week

There will be five dark days on this circuit following the conclusion of racing here on Saturday and before the April 29 opening of Belmont Park. Aqueduct will be closed for simulcasting during that time as well. In fact, the track will close Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The Belmont Café will also close Saturday at 7:30 p.m. but will re-open next Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. for dark-day simulcasting.

Entries for the Friday, April 29 opening day card at Belmont will be taken on Tuesday.

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