The $100,000 Timely Writer Handicap, the race trainer Todd Pletcher has earmarked for Eclipse Award winner Uncle Mo’s 3-year-old debut, has closed with 36 nominations. The one-mile Timely Writer will be run March 12.
Mucho Macho Man, winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star, will return to Fair Grounds to have his final Kentucky Derby prep in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 26. Trainer Kathy Ritvo said she met with principal owner Dean Reeves on Tuesday, and they decided to bring Mucho Macho Man back to New Orleans rather than keep him at Gulfstream for the Florida Derby.
Uncle Brent, a 3-year-old who ran the fastest six furlongs of the Oaklawn Park meet last Saturday, has been sold and is now in the care of trainer Lynn Whiting, said Eric Reed, who trained Uncle Brent for the partnership of West wind Farms and his assistant, Brent Taylor.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed Wednesday morning that Crossbow has suffered a small chip in his ankle and will be sidelined indefinitely. Crossbow, who was scratched Saturday morning from the Grade 2 Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park, is in Lexington, Ky., where he will undergo surgery to remove the chip.
Uncle Brent ran the Oaklawn meet’s fastest six furlongs on Saturday when he won his debut in 1:09.41, and he could be headed next to the Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel at Oaklawn on March 19.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Soldat came out of his two-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in good order and that he’s pointing him to the Transylvania at Keeneland. McLaughlin, of course, was joking about Soldat, who is headed to the Florida Derby.
While drawing post 1 in the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth was perfect for his Soldat, drawing the rail with Crossbow in the seven-furlong Hutcheson was not what trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was looking for. As a result, McLaughlin opted to scratch Crossbow from the Hutcheson and wait for another day.
We’re on the road to the Kentucky Derby, and Bob Baffert, as usual, has several leading 3-year-old contenders preparing for a trip to Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo stepped up the pace a little more on Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Palm Meadows in company with Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate Stay Thirsty. Uncle Mo, who has not started since his easy victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is being pointed for the $100,000 Timely Writer here on March 12 for his 3-year-old debut.
Fusa Code might have put himself on the fast track to next month’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby, when he won his maiden in the local prep, the $100,000 Borderland Derby.
