Former Cave Rock workmate Truehood makes debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – Remember last year’s fast juvenile Cave Rock? A two-time Grade 1 winner, he might have been a hot topic this week as potential pacesetter in the Kentucky Derby.

Cave Rock, however, has not raced since he finished second to Derby favorite Forte last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Cave Rock’s relevance resurfaces Friday. An unraced colt who last summer worked heads-up with Cave Rock appears in a maiden sprint Friday at Santa Anita.

Based on the fast team work last year and at least one fast work this year, Truehood should be tough in the Santa Anita maiden sprint on a modest Friday card. To win first out under jockey Hector Berrios, Truehood must overcome the rail post and put away debut stablemate Stavros.

The maiden sprint is arguably the most interesting race on a card that includes a Cal-bred allowance turf mile, race 5, and a Cal-bred allowance dirt mile for fillies and mares, race 8. In between the allowance races is a starter turf sprint, race 7, with the card’s most probable winner.

Maidens with untapped potential command the spotlight. Based on a blazing workout last summer at Del Mar and a sharp work this spring at Santa Anita, Truehood will not be a secret.

On Aug. 7 at Del Mar, Bob Baffert worked two unraced juveniles, Cave Rock and Truehood, in company from the gate. They smoked five furlongs in 59, heads-up all the way. Six days later, Cave Rock blitzed maidens with a 101 Beyer to set him up for Grade 1 wins in the Del Mar Futurity and American Pharoah. Truehood disappeared, and did not work for seven months.

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A son of Nyquist purchased for $700,000 as a yearling, Truehood resumed serious training in March, and last week worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.80 from the gate. Although the team drill was his first work in 25 days, it nonetheless suggests he can fire first out.

If not, stablemate Stavros could be the right horse. A 3-year-old first-time starter by Constitution, Stavros will be ridden by Abel Cedillo. Others in the maiden field include sharp-working 4-year-old first-time starter Sir Atticus and 4-year-old comebacker Midnight Fury, a first-time gelding.

Race 5 Friday is the first allowance race. Talklessworkmore figures for a pressing trip behind possible pacesetter Oubabe. Talklessworkmore can win if he holds off the rallies of Shortman and J T’s Watch.

Race 7 marks the second start back for Doncic, recent comeback runner-up in a fast starter allowance for non-winners of three. Doncic finished more than three lengths clear of third, and will be tough if he runs two alike stretching from 5 1/2 furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. Other entrants include Wyfire and Inch.

Race 8 is a Cal-bred filly-mare dirt mile. Starship Defiant will try to bust through following back-to-back runner-up finishes at the level. Her main rival is comebacker Race Judicata. Rose Harbor also entered.

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