Instagrand drills five furlongs for April start

Instagrand, third in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 9 in his 3-year-old debut, worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds at Los Alamitos on Sunday for an expected start in early April.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Instagrand had the fastest of 14 works at the distance. Last year, Instagrand was unbeaten in two starts, including an easy win by 10 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar in August.

Hollendorfer said no plans have been finalized for Instagrand’s next race, expected in early April.

On Sunday, Selcourt worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 at Santa Anita for Saturday’s Grade 1 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares. Trainer John Sadler timed Selcourt galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.80.

The Grade 1 Beholder Mile is one of five stakes scheduled for Saturday at Santa Anita.

Next Shares, who won the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last October, worked a half-mile in 49.40 seconds for Saturday’s Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf. Trained by Richard Baltas, Next Shares was seventh in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26.