Extra Hope, Roadster, Synthesis drill for Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Extra Hope, Roadster, and Synthesis – half the probable starters for Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby – had their final prerace workouts on Sunday.

Roadster, who won an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at a mile in his 3-year-old debut on March 1, worked six furlongs in 1:12.60, the fastest of 19 works at the distance. The time was quicker than Roadster’s preceding workout – six furlongs in 1:14 – on March 26.

“It was a nice work,” trainer Bob Baffert said of Sunday’s exercise. “It was a strong work. Last week, he went a little easy. This week, we let the hammer down a little bit.”

Owned by Speedway Stable, Roadster will be ridden by Mike Smith in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Roadster was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity as the 7-10 favorite last September but emerged from the race with a breathing issue that required surgery.

Extra Hope, fourth in the first division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16, worked a half-mile in company with a stablemate in 49.80 seconds. Trainer Richard Mandella timed Extra Hope in 49.20.

“If he ain’t ready now, he won’t be ready,” Mandella said.

Drayden Van Dyke was aboard for the workout and will ride Extra Hope in the Santa Anita Derby for the first time since a win in a maiden race here last October.

In the Rebel Stakes, Extra Hope finished 3 1/2 lengths behind winner Long Range Toddy but raced wide around the first turn under jockey Mike Smith.

“He had some excuses in the Rebel,” Mandella said. “He got a little rank. Mike let him run because of it. Things didn’t go right for him.”

Owned by Samantha Siegel, Extra Hope will have his second start in a Grade 1 in the Santa Anita Derby, having finished third behind Improbable in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in December.

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Synthesis, who will have his first start for trainer George Papaprodromou in the Santa Anita Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 under jockey Rafael Bejarano, who will have the mount.

“We’re good to go,” Papaprodromou said.

Synthesis was fourth in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 10 in his final start for trainer Keith Desormeaux. In mid-March, Synthesis was purchased privately by Rustin Kretz, John Decker, and Jay Selby.

The Santa Anita Derby field is led by Game Winner, the champion 2-year-old male of 2018 who finished second by a nose to Omaha Beach in the second division of the Rebel Stakes. Other candidates are Instagrand, third in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 9, and Nolo Contesto, second to Roadster on March 1.

Trainer Jeff Bonde said on Sunday that there is a “slight” chance that Sparky Ville will start. Bonde was considering the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday but said making travel arrangements have been difficult.

In another notable workout on Sunday, the 3-year-old filly Mother Mother worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 for the Grade 3 Beaumont Stakes at about seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 7, Baffert said.

Mother Mother was fourth in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile on Feb. 9. She won the Rags to Riches Stakes at a mile at Churchill Downs last October.