Cezanne gets first two-turn test in allowance

There is slightly more than nine weeks remaining until the rescheduled Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5, just enough time for the talented colt Cezanne to continue his summertime impression on the 3-year-old division.

Cezanne was the easy winner of a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs on June 6 at Santa Anita in his debut. Thursday at Los Alamitos, Cezanne will have his second start, and first around two turns, in an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at a mile.

Cezanne, trained by Bob Baffert for St. Elias Stable and the Coolmore partnership, drew the outside post in a field of five. He will be a massive favorite in a race that could lead to a start in a stakes with Kentucky Derby qualifying points later this summer.

“I want to get a two-turn race into him,” Baffert said. “After this race, I can look at a points race if I want to continue down the road.”

Thursday’s seven-race program is the first of four days of racing on the final week of the Los Alamitos summer meeting, which concludes Sunday. Del Mar opens its summer meeting July 10.

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No spectators are allowed at Los Alamitos because of the coronavirus pandemic, a policy scheduled to be in place for the start of the Del Mar meeting.

Sunday, Cezanne worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Santa Anita, his second workout since the maiden race win. On June 22, Cezanne worked five furlongs in 1:01.40.

“He’s still a little heavy,” Baffert said.

“More racing will help him. He’s shown us he’s a top horse. He’s got a great mind and doesn’t get excited. He’s been behaving himself.”

By Curlin, Cezanne has had a high-profile presence since he was purchased for $3.65 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training.

In his maiden race win, Cezanne broke from the rail in a field of seven. He was fourth early, took the lead entering the stretch, and pulled clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths at 2-5, finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.13. Cezanne earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

Flavien Prat was aboard for the maiden race win and retains the mount Thursday, his first day of riding at the Los Alamitos summer meeting, which began last Friday.

The other runners are the 3-year-olds Bronn and Itsthattime and the 4-year-olds Mongolian Legend and Never Easy. Bronn, trained by Baffert, has not started since a win in a maiden special weight race at a mile last June at Los Alamitos. The other runners have run for claiming prices this year.

Never Easy finished second in a $35,000 claimer for nonwinners of three at a mile on turf on June 7 at Santa Anita, the day he was claimed by Andrew Lerner and owner Bob Restaino. Thursday’s race will be the first on dirt for Never Easy since he was third in a maiden special weight race at Remington Park in December 2018.