Extra Hope to have physical exam, miss Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Extra Hope was not entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby so that the highly promising colt can undergo a precautionary physical, trainer Richard Mandella said.

Extra Hope was fourth in the first division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16 and has not recovered from that race to Mandella’s satisfaction.

“I’m going to scan him and look him over,” Mandella said. “I can’t get him back to where he was before the last race.

“He’s not quite right. I let him have an open gallop this morning. He looked okay. I don’t think he’s 100 percent. I think we’ll find he’s muscle sore. We’ll scan him and find out what it is.”

Owned by Samantha Siegel, Extra Hope was third in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last December and has won 2 of 8 starts and earned $165,900.

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As of Wednesday morning, the $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles had five probable starters: Game Winner, the champion 2-year-old male of 2018; the stakes winner Instagrand; the stakes-placed Roadster; and the maiden-race winners Nolo Contesto and Synthesis.

Sparky Ville, who won the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs in February, was not entered, trainer Jeff Bonde said.