Dressed in Hermes using Santa Anita Derby as prep

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dressed in Hermes, the winner of three stakes on turf, has been entered for Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby as a likely prep for a turf stakes at Churchill Downs in May.

Trainer Janet Armstrong said on Wednesday that Dressed in Hermes is being pointed for the $300,000 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 7 and not the Kentucky Derby on the same day.

Owned by Syd Belzberg, Dressed in Hermes won the Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf here March 13. In February, Dressed in Hermes was fourth behind Mor Spirit in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on the main track. Mor Spirit is a leading contender for the Santa Anita Derby.

Armstrong said the Transylvania Stakes on turf at Keeneland on Friday was considered for Dressed in Hermes until the decision was made to stay in Southern California.

Armstrong has realistic expectations for Dressed in Hermes in Saturday’s race.

“I think he’s in pretty tough,” Armstrong said. “We’re hoping for third or fourth.”

Jockey Flavien Prat has been booked to ride Dressed in Hermes, a winner of 3 of 7 starts.

The Santa Anita Derby is likely to include another longshot in Diplodocus, who was fifth in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 12.

By Sky Mesa, Diplodocus stands nearly 17 hands and has a one-paced style, trainer Richard Baltas said. Baltas said he has seen promising signs from the colt in recent training.

“We have to let him find a spot,” Baltas said. “You can’t rush him. He’s starting to come around.”