Honorable Dillon may be a little on the green side but was still talented enough to outlast the fast-closing Forty Tales to register a half-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
In a race tailor-made for his front-running style, Flashback proved yet again that talent trumps experience by running away from his three rivals in the Grade 2, $196,000 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, firmly establishing himself as one of the leading Kentucky Derby contenders on the West Coast.
Mac the Man broke fastest of all and proceeded to lead all the way in the $50,000 96Rocks Stakes, giving jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. a Saturday stakes sweep at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.
It may not have been as dominant as his maiden win here five weeks ago, but Revolutionary’s neck victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct was equally if not more impressive.
Verrazano wowed not only the crowd but his trainer, Todd Pletcher, as well when cruising to as easy-as-can-be 16 1/4-length victory over Eton Blue in Saturday’s fifth race at Gulfstream Park, carded at a mile under first-level optional $75,000 claiming conditions.
Trainer Al Stall came out of Friday night’s races at Fair Grounds with two 3-year-olds who could start next in Kentucky Derby prep races. Departing ran his record to 2 for 2 by winning an open allowance race by 4 1/4 lengths, while Sunbean captured a Louisiana-bred allowance race by 1 3/4 lengths.
Led by the two 2-year-old champions of last year, the colt Shanghai Bobby and the filly Beholder, as well as Itsmyluckyday, the only horse to defeat Shanghai Bobby, a total of 369 3-year-olds were made early nominations to this year’s Triple Crown – the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes - Churchill Downs, the home of the Derby, announced on Saturday.
Super Ninety Nine and Code West are bound for major stakes for 3-year-olds after finishing first and second in a quick allowance race over a mile Thursday at Santa Anita.
Highly regarded 3-year-old prospect Uncaptured, still remains at least a month away from making his 2013 debut.
Tour Guide is a 3-year-old at a crossroads. He won his second straight sprint stakes last weekend, and his connections are now debating whether to stretch him out to two turns for either the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 18 or the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 23.
