Express Train likely to travel for next start

Decision time is looming on where to race Express Train in the next month.

Express Train, who races for Lee and Susan Searing and trainer John Shirreffs, finished second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 1. An 8-year-old, Express Train had his first work since the Big Cap on Friday, officially going five furlongs in 1:02.40.

Trainer John Shirreffs said the official time included a one-furlong gallop out and that Express Train worked a half-mile in 49 seconds. Jockey Hector Berrios was aboard.

“He came out of the Santa Anita Handicap really well,” Shirreffs said.

:: Santa Anita Clocker Reports are available every race day. Access now.

The next race on dirt for the older horse division in California is the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup, a $200,000 race at 1 1/4 miles on May 26.

With such a lengthy gap between the Big Cap, which was run at 1 1/4 miles, and the Hollywood Gold Cup, Shirreffs is considering races such as the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles or the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes at 1 3/16 miles at Keeneland. The $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap and $350,000 Ben Ali Stakes are both run on April 19.

Express Train has won 7 of 25 starts and earned $1,603,800. In the Big Cap, Express Train led on the turn but could not keep pace with Locked, who won by a record 8 1/2 lengths.

Express Train is winless in eight starts since the 2022 Big Cap. He did not race in 2023 and has had five starts in the last year, all in stakes, finishing second, third or fourth.

Shirreffs could have a memorable April. On Friday, he gave an upbeat report on the condition of Baeza, who is scheduled to have his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 5. Baeza, co-owned by the Searings and Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine, won a maiden race at a mile by an attractive 4 3/4 lengths in his third start on Feb. 15.

“He wants distance,” Shirreffs said.

Baeza worked a rapid 1:10.40 for six furlongs on March 15.

The $500,000 Santa Anita Derby field is expected to include Citizen Bull, the champion 2-year-old male of 2024, and Journalism, the winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on March 1.

On Friday, the colt Artislas worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 on the infield training track for a scheduled start in the $100,000 John Shear Stakes for 3-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on April 6.

Artislas has not raced since a neck win as the 3-5 favorite in the Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-olds on Dec. 29. He missed the Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf on March 9 because of illness.

Trained by Jeff Mullins for the partnership of Irving Ventures, Michele Arthur, William Meathe, and Jeanne Tumanjan, Artislas has won 3 of 5 starts, including the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf last September.

Artislas finished first in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes in October, but was disqualified and placed third for causing interference.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.