Vyjack, who remained undefeated with his victory last Saturday in the Gotham, saw his odds plummet on the Kentucky Derby future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper.
In his first start around two turns, Hear the Ghost may be a late threat to 3-year-old stars Flashback and Goldencents in Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.
Omega Star will make his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, just in time to make an impression in the last major prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6.
Super Ninety Nine and Oxbow are both being pointed to the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16, their respective trainers said Tuesday. Rafael Bejarano has the mount on Super Ninety Nine, according to trainer Bob Baffert, while Mike Smith will be aboard Oxbow, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.
Oxbow is to make his next start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on March 16 and will be ridden by Mike Smith, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Tuesday. He had also been under consideration for the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
If trainer Al Stall should happen to make it to the Kentucky Derby this year, it will not be through a conventional route.
After an easy-as-pie triumph in the $50,000 Texas Heritage Stakes at Sam Houston on March 2, Departing will move on to bigger and better things in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on March 30.
Balance the Books, who took ill and missed the Palm Beach on Sunday, will run next in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 23.
Rudy Rodriguez’s decision to leave Vyjack in New York this winter had everything to do with the gelding’s state of mind.
