Express Train works five furlongs for Californian Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - There is no live racing at Santa Anita next weekend, but there were plenty of notable workouts at the track on Sunday for the next day of racing on April 30 and later this spring.

Following Sunday’s program, the track will not race this Friday through Sunday or on April 29 to give the horse population, and the turf course, a rest in advance of the final eight weeks of the meeting. The season ends on June 19.

The winter-spring season began on Dec. 26, the day Express Train won the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. Express Train later won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 5 and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 5.

The winning streak will be at risk in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes, a $200,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on April 30. The Californian is a prep for the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on May 30.

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On Sunday, Express Train worked five furlongs in 58.40 seconds, the fastest of 48 works at the distance. Jockey Victor Espinoza rode Express Train in the workout for trainer John Shirreffs, and has been aboard the 5-year-old horse for his three recent stakes wins.

Shirreffs could have a memorable day on April 30. Beyond Brilliant, the winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar, is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Beyond Brilliant, who was fourth by a length in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 5, worked six furlongs in 1:14.80 on Sunday. Beyond Brilliant began the workout at the five-furlong pole and worked a furlong past the wire.

“He cruised along and galloped out very strong,” Shirreffs said. “I thought his work was very excellent.”

The Californian and $225,000 Whittingham are two of four graded stakes on the April 30 program that will include the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 3 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

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Park Avenue, the winner of an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on turf on March 20, worked five furlongs in 59 seconds for the $200,000 Santa Margarita. Trained by John Sadler, Park Avenue was scratched from the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes on turf on April 9 in favor of the Santa Margarita.

On Sunday, Sadler worked the undefeated Flightline a half-mile in 47.20 seconds for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park on June 11. Flightline has not raced since an easy win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on Dec. 26.

The Sadler-trained Edgeway worked five furlongs in 1:00 for the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 7. Edgeway won the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes at six furlongs by seven lengths at Santa Anita on March 13.