Busy Santa Anita work tab even as racing plans remain uncertain

As much as anything can be normal these days, there was predictable activity at Santa Anita on Saturday morning, with scores of horses undergoing workouts.

There was no racing on Saturday, a day after the track announced it had been temporarily closed by the Los Angeles county health department because of the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement was made about 35 minutes before the first race was scheduled for Friday.

It was not clear Saturday morning when racing would resume, but there is hope among owners and trainers that the hiatus will be short-lived.

If that occurs, racing would be conducted without spectators, as was the case for five racing days from March 14 -22. Track officials remained in contact with county health officials in recent days in an effort to have the decision reversed.

There were notable workouts on Saturday by horses that would be at the center of the April 4 program, if racing resumes quickly.

Thousand Words, the winner of the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December but only fourth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 7, worked seven furlongs in 1:25.60. Trainer Bob Baffert is hopeful Thousand Words can start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

“I feel like I’m the backup quarterback,” Baffert said. “I’ve got my helmet on and I’m ready to go.”

Thousand Words was beaten for the first time in his four-race career in the San Felipe.

Baffert also worked the 3-year-old filly Gingham, who went six furlongs in 1:11.20 for an intended start in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 4. Donna Veloce, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita in November, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 for the same race, if it is run.

“Just hope we can race next weekend,” said Simon Callaghan, who trains Donna Veloce, wrote in a text. “She’s ready.”

In other works, Hard Not to Love, who won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes and Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes for female sprinters during the winter, worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds. She was second in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 14.

Jockey Mike Smith worked Hard Not to Love for trainer John Shirreffs, as well as the 3-year-old Honor A. P., who exercised five furlongs in 1:00.20. Honor A. P., second in the San Felipe, is also a candidate for the Santa Anita Derby, Shirreffs said.

Ollie’s Candy, third in the Beholder Mile in her first start since a fourth-place finish in the BC Distaff in November, worked a half-mile in 49 seconds. Ollie’s Candy has been mentioned by trainer John Sadler as a candidate for the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, which will be run on April 18.

Hit the Road, who won the Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf, had his third workout of the year, a half-mile on the infield training track in 49.20 seconds.

Trainer Dan Blacker said the Singletary Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf on April 26 is a goal, but acknowledged Hit the Road needs to work well in the interim to be prepared for that race, if it goes forward as scheduled.