Oxbow will make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 13, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday. The horse had been possible for the race after finishing second in the Rebel. Before that start, Oxbow traveled twice to Fair Grounds from his Oaklawn base and ran a close fourth in the Grade 2 Risen Star and won the Grade 3 Lecomte.
With the defection of Titletown Five, there are now nine horses considered probable for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on Sunday. Sunland Park officials said Shakin It Up, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente, and Govenor Charlie, an impressive maiden special weight winner at Santa Anita, are both expected for trainer Bob Baffert.
Chad Brown long ago circled the Palm Beach Stakes as the starting point for Balance the Books this year. But when the colt came down with a temperature a couple of weeks before that March 3 grass race at Gulfstream Park, “we had to go to Plan B,” Brown said.
Al Stall Jr. has a lot going on these days at Fair Grounds. Less than two weeks away from shipping many of his better horses to Kentucky while leaving others behind to compete at Louisiana Downs, the married father of two still has work to do in New Orleans while he agonizes over the two positive medication tests he has under appeal.
Titletown Five is being rerouted to the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 30 because the timing of the race will allow him to have another workout and also because the Louisiana Derby awards the winner 100 qualifing points for the Kentucky Derby, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Tuesday. The horse had been pointed for Sunday’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park, which gives 50 points to the winner.
After a disappointing weekend, trainer Bob Baffert was looking forward Monday at Santa Anita, where he worked Flashback, Code West, Power Broker, and Sunland Derby prospects Govenor Charlie and Shakin It Up.
Trainer John Terranova’s initial thought when seeing West Hills Giant start to lug in during the stretch run of the Gotham Stakes was to chalk it up to immaturity. There might have been more to it.
War Academy is headed to a major Kentucky Derby prep race following an authoritative entry-level, optional-claiming victory at Santa Anita on March 15.
Den’s Legacy, who finished third in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday, could return to Oaklawn Park next month for the Arkansas Derby, but plans are uncertain for Super Ninety Nine, who finished fifth as the 6-5 favorite, their trainer Bob Baffert, said Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
Will Take Charge and Oxbow were separated by inches Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn, but the horses are now expected to go in different directions for their final Kentucky Derby preps.
