Dream Baby Dream to Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Dream Baby Dream, the runner-up in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 25, is being pointed for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby, said his trainer, Steve Asmussen. The 1 1/8-mile race is April 14 at Oaklawn.

“He ran well at a mile and an eighth at Sunland – it was the first shot to run him that far – and I thought he ran as expected with the distance,” said Asmussen.

Dream Baby Dream entered the Sunland Derby off a third-place finish in a Feb. 19 allowance at Oaklawn. He is owned by Dream Baby Dream Racing Stable.

Reride, who won the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland in February, ran third in the UAE Derby on Saturday in Dubai, and is scheduled to return home to the U.S. on April 9. He will be based in Kentucky, said Asmussen.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Asmussen, the leading trainer at Oaklawn, had some of the barn’s other stakes horses out for works Monday. The track was fast on an overcast morning with temperatures in the 40s.

Untrapped worked five-eighths in company in 1:01.60, with Oaklawn clocker Taylor Radimer catching him galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.40. Asmussen said Untrapped is being pointed for the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 14. Untrapped was second in the $300,000 Essex Handicap here March 17.

The 3-year-olds Combatant and Tenfold worked in company first after the renovation break, going five-eighths in a bullet 1:01.20 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14. Asmussen said Combatant and Tenfold are possible for the Arkansas Derby. Combatant was third in the Grade 2 Rebel on March 17 at Oaklawn, while Tenfold improved his record to 2 for 2 winning a first-level allowance route at Oaklawn over Navistar the next day.

Zing Zang went a half-mile in 51.60 seconds Monday and Asmussen said the horse is a possibility for the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass on Saturday at Keeneland.

Bravazo works for Kentucky Derby

Bravazo, the winner of the Risen Star at Fair Grounds, is scheduled to train up to the Kentucky Derby and breezed a half-mile by himself in 48.60 seconds Monday. He came home his final quarter in 23 seconds and galloped out five-eighths in 1:02.60, according to Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton.

Sporting Chance, who like Bravazo is trained by D. Wayne Lukas, also worked Monday. He went a half-mile by himself in 48.40 seconds, with his final quarter in 23.60 seconds, and galloped out five-eighths in 1:02.

Lukas said Sporting Chance is to make his next start in the Blue Grass. He said Sporting Chance will be ridden by Luis Saez, who was aboard the horse for his win in last year’s Hopeful at Saratoga.