If you liked the major Kentucky Derby preps at Fair Grounds and Gulfstream in February, you got an encore performance last Saturday. International Star won again at Fair Grounds, this time in the Louisiana Derby, while at Gulfstream, a Todd Pletcher trainee defeated Upstart in a controversial running of the Florida Derby, similar to the Fountain of Youth.
Handicapper Mary Rampellini ranks the top 3-year-old males and fillies pointing to races at Oaklawn.
El Kabeir, winner of the Jerome and Gotham this winter in New York, is expected to face only five horses in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The Bob Baffert duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund are the favorites atop the fourth and final pool in the 2015 Kentucky Derby Future Wager that closed Sunday.
While the trainers of Florida Derby one-two finishers Materiality and Upstart said the race was run over a demanding Gulfstream Park surface, both horses appeared to have emerged from the race in good order and will be pointed to the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old male of 2014, worked five furlongs in 58.60 seconds Sunday at Santa Anita, preparing for the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on April 11.
Santa Anita Derby hopefuls Bad Read Sanchez and One Lucky Dane had workouts at Santa Anita on Sunday.
Materiality showed the courage and heart of a veteran in only his third career start, withstanding a thrilling stretch-long challenge from the more experienced even-money favorite, Upstart, to register a well-deserved and impressive 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
If there is one thing Ken Ramsey lives for, one thing that drives him more than anything, it’s his desire to stand in the winner’s circle on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs following the day’s featured race. He’s had several shots at it, never has won, but his quest continues, and was at the forefront of his mind after International Star won the Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Dortmund and Prospect Park had their final workouts Saturday for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
