Anthony’s Cross, the winner of the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, may not start again until the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9, trainer Eoin Harty said on Sunday.
Eclipse Award winner Uncle Mo picked up the pace appreciably training up to his much anticipated 3-year-old debut when he worked four furlongs in 47.36 seconds at Palm Meadows shortly after dawn on Sunday.
Led by Eclipse Award winner Uncle Mo and Remsen Stakes winner To Honor and Serve, a total of 364 3-year-olds have been made early nominees to the three Triple Crown races, it was announced late Saturday night by the Triple Crown racetracks, Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont Park.
Racing fortunes can change quickly, and they did for trainer Steve Asmussen on Saturday when Silver Medallion won the 30th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
Anthony’s Cross outlasted Riveting Reason to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, a race in which heavily favored Tapizar faded to finish fifth, triggering outsized show payoffs.
The inevitable comparisons between reigning Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and his baby brother Brethren will continue. Brethren remained undefeated on Saturday with a convincing four-length victory over the 31-1 Too Experience in the $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
J P’s Gusto, one of the nation’s top 3-year-olds, galloped over the Oaklawn surface for the first time Saturday morning and is scheduled to breeze for the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest on either Monday or Tuesday, said his trainer, Joe Petalino.
Boys At Tosconova, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind division leader Uncle Mo, is off the Kentucky Derby trail, according to trainer Rick Dutrow.
Mucho Macho Man will sport a new look when he runs Saturday in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds. No blinkers!
Fair Grounds officials are expecting both Rogue Romance and Santiva to ship in from south Florida to make their 3-year-old debuts in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Risen Star.
