Loggins, Extra Anejo still on the shelf
In a perfect world, Extra Anejo and Loggins would have been the two most exciting 3-year-old colts training at Fair Grounds at the start of 2023. In this world, neither colt is training at all right now, and every day that circumstance prevails, the chances of either making major races this spring diminishes.
Loggins hasn’t raced or even worked since he finished a tough second, beaten a neck by Forte, in the Oct. 8 Breeders’ Futurity. Forte went on to beat Cave Rock in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is all but certain to be named champion 2-year-old of 2022.
The week after the Breeders’ Futurity, trainer Brad Cox told Daily Racing Form’s David Grening that connections were “thinking about not running [Loggins] back” in the BC Juvenile.” Cox said “we’re not wanting to do too much with him too early. We want to have a 3-year-old, as well,” In late November, Cox told DRF that he hoped to have Loggins “back in the barn by the end of December,” but now it’s January, and this past weekend, Cox, asked via text message if there was any news on Loggins, said “Not yet.”
Extra Anejo’s career consists of one race, but it was a doozy, a 9 1/2-length maiden romp Oct. 13 at Keeneland. Extra Anejo’s camp passed the Kentucky Jockey Club and brought the $1.35 million auction buy to Fair Grounds, but on Dec. 11, trainer Steve Asmussen reported that Extra Anejo had been diagnosed with a small chip in a hind ankle that required surgical repair.
This past weekend, Asmussen said via text message that he had “no updates” on Extra Anejo’s status.
Asmussen did say Sunday that he plans to start Echo Again, third in the Springboard Mile, in the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 21. Cox said the last week of December he was aiming Instant Coffee, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club, to the Lecomte. Instant Coffee has logged four works at Fair Grounds, including a five-furlong drill in 1:01.80 on Jan. 8.
The Asmussen-trained Gulfport, among the better 2-year-olds of 2022, had his first workout of the winter when he went an easy half-mile Jan. 9 at Fair Grounds.
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