Derby prep plan works out for Royal Act

Trainer Pete Eurton was relieved his Plan A for Royal Act worked out, because Plans B and C ended up going away.

Eurton had desired running Royal Act in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, believing the race’s 1 3/16 miles would be of benefit to his colt. But until entry time Saturday, Royal Act was in danger of winding up on the also-eligible list, as there were 14 others who were preferred under the race’s conditions.

Fortunately for Royal Act and Eurton, Ajaaweed ended up not entering, and Royal Act got into the main body of the field, landing post 8. Then, within days, both the Sunland Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes, the races Eurton had contemplated as back-ups, were canceled.

“That all fell apart. We had no Plan B. As it turned out, it all worked out,” Eurton said Wednesday.

Eurton had just boarded a plane that would take him to New Orleans, but under eerie circumstances.

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“The plane’s about one-tenth full,” he said. “I know we’re supposed to limit our travel as much as possible. This is for work. It won’t be as much fun as being able to go to New Orleans with my wife. Just have to enjoy it the best you can, and excited to be able to run.”

Royal Act, a son of American Pharoah, was a close second behind Thousand Words most recently in the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in his first start on dirt and his first start wearing blinkers. Abel Cedillo, who rode him that day, is back aboard.

Farmington Road rerouted to Wood

Farmington Road landed on the also-eligible list for the Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, and because he was not guaranteed a spot in the body of the field before a plane scheduled to take the colt to New Orleans left Florida on Tuesday, trainer Todd Pletcher elected to keep him at Palm Beach Downs and point instead to the Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct.

“We didn’t want to go unless we knew we were in the body of the race,” Pletcher said Wednesday.

Farmington Road was a late-running fourth in the faster division of the Risen Star on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds; Louisiana Derby entrants Enforceable and Silver State were second and third in that race.