This year’s edition of the El Camino Real Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields pits the classy shippers Daddy Nose Best and Lucky Chappy against the local Jerry Hollendorfer-trained pair of Russian Greek and the filly Lady of Fifty.
Trainer John Servis and jockey Stewart Elliott, who swept Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds in 2004 with eventual Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones, will make their first Arkansas appearances in several years Monday. Servis has sent Adirondack King in from Florida for the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes, the first major prep on Oaklawn’s road to the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
Liaison, winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December who lost his rider in midstretch of his 3-year-old debut here in the Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 4, worked a half-mile in 47 seconds Wednesday.
Last week, the only horse trainer Bob Baffert had in the Derby Watch top 20, Liaison, didn’t even cross the line with his rider in his most recent race. Things have changed quite a bit.
It’s usually the first question anyone asks Lynn Whiting when they meet him and find out he’s a racehorse trainer: “Have you ever won the Kentucky Derby?” Fortunately, he can answer yes.
I just spent days poring over the past performances of each of the 398 Triple Crown nominees, searching for the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. I will settle for the Kentucky Derby winner right now.
Secret Circle and Longview Drive were among four Southern California-based 3-year-olds who flew into Arkansas on Tuesday in advance of the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Monday.
The Feb. 25 Risen Star has picked up another likely local runner in Afford, who won a first-level route allowance race by a nose Feb. 9. Afford, a Jim Tafel homebred by Street Sense, is a half-brother to Fast Alex, who is scheduled to start in the Mineshaft Handicap on the same day.
Larry Jones is dealing with an issue right now any trainer would gladly take on: Figuring out how to spot multiple stakes horses in the same division.
A rebuilding year has also become a season of firsts for Southern California trainer Jack Carava.
