Cleared to resume training, Extra Anejo heads to New Orleans

Extra Anejo, the highly promising newly turned 3-year-old, is on his way to Fair Grounds from Kentucky after being cleared this week to resume training.

Late last year, Extra Anejo had successful surgery to remove a bone chip from a hind ankle. Monday, Extra Anejo had a PET (positron emission tomography) scan and after a full evaluation of the colt’s condition, noted veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage gave the go-ahead for Extra Anejo to go back into training with Steve Asmussen.

“He’s on his way to Fair Grounds,” Asmussen said Tuesday. “We’ll start by jogging and go from there.”

There will be no rushing to make any particular race with Extra Anejo, a horse of obvious high-end talent who has started but once in his career. Purchased as a yearling for $1.35 million, Extra Anejo debuted over an extended seven furlongs on Oct. 13 at Keeneland and beat a field of maiden foes by more than nine lengths while going easily and earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

He came back with eye-catching workouts at Keeneland but was withdrawn from consideration for the Nov. 26 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, the announcement of his injury coming soon after. By Into Mischief out of the Hard Spun mare Superioritycomplex, Extra Anejo is campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds. The colt was favored in the first Kentucky Derby Futures pool last fall.

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In other Asmussen news, Pauline’s Pearl is set to make her 5-year-old debut Jan. 28, when she’ll attempt to win the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic for the second straight year.

In the same older filly-and-mare dirt-route division, Clairiere, an Eclipse Award finalist for her 2022 campaign, is ramping up toward her 5-year-old debut, which could come as soon as the Feb. 4 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Four-year-old colt Gunite remains on track for a start next month in Saudi Arabia, while 3-year-old Private Creed no longer is under consideration for that overseas trip.

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