Tapiture will be a regular on Oaklawn Park’s road to the Kentucky Derby this spring, with the Grade 2 winner to launch his season Monday in the Southwest Stakes.
Trainer Bob Baffert is considering jumping into the Louisiana Preview Day card on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds and could have horses for both the Risen Star Stakes and the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, he said Wednesday.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer entered 2014 with the horse acknowledged as the front-runner for this year’s Kentucky Derby, Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013. But Shared Belief recently missed significant training time owing to a foot injury, and whether he comes around in time to make the Derby is uncertain.
The undefeated 3-year-old Indianapolis will miss his scheduled graded-stakes debut in Sunday’s $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita after he coughed Wednesday and then was found to have mucus in his airway, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Shug McGaughey, who trained 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, has two highly ranked horses in this year’s inaugural Derby Watch top 20, Honor Code and Top Billing, the co-second choices at 6-1 on the future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper.
The highly regarded 3-year-old Honor Code, who recently missed some training time with a minor injury, is scheduled to work on Wednesday morning at Gulfstream Park as he begins anew his preparation for his 2014 debut, trainer Shug McGaughey said Tuesday afternoon.
Intense Holiday, who finished a solid third in Cairo Prince’s Holy Bull Stakes romp, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.
Two of trainer Todd Pletcher’s plethora of Kentucky Derby hopefuls worked at Palm Meadows on Tuesday, including his most-accomplished 3-year-old, Havana.
Trainer Pat Byrne has confirmed that Calvin Borel will return from Oaklawn Park to ride Almost Famous in the Feb. 22 Fountain of Youth. Borel was aboard the colt when he finished fourth behind Cairo Prince in the Jan. 25 Holy Bull.
Bob Baffert has grand plans for 3-year-old colts Bayern and Tap It Rich: “They’ll go in stakes from here on out.” Before embarking on the Derby trail, they face a key test with key equipment changes Thursday at Santa Anita.
