The Factor, Sway Away work for Rebel at Santa Anita
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Factor and Sway Away, who finished one-two in last month’s San Vicente Stakes, kept on similar itineraries Saturday morning here at Santa Anita when they turned in final workouts in preparation for scheduled starts in the Rebel Stakes for 3-year-olds next Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Also working was Blind Luck, who was kept out of the Santa Margarita Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita in order to go to Oaklawn for next week’s Azeri Stakes for older fillies and mares. The Azeri is a prep for next month’s prestigious Apple Blossom Handicap.
The Factor flew through six furlongs in 1:12.20 for trainer Bob Baffert. The time was the best of 12 at the distance, faster by a full second than the next best drill.
“He worked well, finished up good,” Baffert said.
Sway Away also worked fast, traveling seven furlongs in 1:23.60 for trainer Jeff Bonde. That was the fastest of three works at the distance.
Both The Factor and Sway Away will be making their two-turn debuts in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel.
Blind Luck, who has done most of her recent work on the training track, was the only horse to work on that surface on Saturday morning. She was timed in 1:15.20 for six furlongs for Jerry Hollendorfer, who trains and is a co-owner of Blind Luck.
Blind Luck finished second to Always a Princess in both the El Encino Stakes and La Canada Stakes earlier this meet, races in which Hollendorfer believed the speed-favoring nature of Santa Anita’s main track played against his filly. Hence the trip to Oaklawn next week.
All three horses are scheduled to fly to Arkansas on Wednesday.