Gemologist and Alpha, separated by a neck when first and second, respectively, in Saturday’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, were reported to be in good shape Sunday morning and will both be pointed to the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
Done Talking closed steadily and ran down Morgan’s Guerrilla to win the Grade 3, $500,000 Illinois Derby by three-quarters of a length early Saturday evening at Hawthorne Race Course.
Allowed to coast along on an uncontested lead, just as in the Swale four weeks earlier, Trinniberg romped to an unchallenged victory in a slow-motion renewal of Saturday’s Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes.
I’ll Have Another, under a savvy ride from Mario Gutierrez, outbattled favored Creative Cause and won the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby by a nose on Saturday. I’ll Have Another ($10.20) was the widest of three horses heading to the wire, with Creative Cause between rivals and 42-1 shot Bluesskiesnrainbows, the early pacesetter, bravely fighting back along the rail. Bluesskiesnrainbows finished just a half-length behind Creative Cause.
Trainer Todd Pletcher left Aqueduct following last year’s Wood Memorial scratching his head after heavily favored Uncle Mo faded to third. One year later, Pletcher left Aqueduct Saturday afternoon all smiles and pretty confident he has a big chance to win his second Kentucky Derby with Gemologist.
A handful of hopefuls for the Blue Grass Stakes had their final pre-race breezes on a busy Saturday morning at Keeneland, but it was a workout at a quieter venue some 75 miles away in Louisville that leads the pre-race talk for the main Keeneland stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby.
Najjaar, a two-time winner at the meet eyeing the Arkansas Derby, worked five furlongs in company Friday morning at Oaklawn.
Trainer Bob Baffert will have a busy weekend in Arkansas on April 13-14 with horses in the Fantasy Stakes, Apple Blossom Handicap, and the Arkansas Derby.
Joe Talamo collected the 1,000th win of his riding career Thursday at Santa Anita, but is still searching for a mount for the Kentucky Derby.
Countdown to the Crown returns for a seventh season online as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 6 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class.
