Medina Spirit, Rock Your World work for Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Medina Spirit and Rock Your World both were scheduled to take on Life Is Good in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3. Now with Life Is Good out of the race, and the win chances of both significantly upgraded, they worked Monday at Santa Anita in preparation for the West’s final prep for the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

Medina Spirit, a distant second most recently to stablemate Life Is Good in the San Felipe on March 6, looked terrific in a five-furlong drill in 59 seconds while in company under exercise rider Juan Ochoa. The time was the fastest of 34 at the distance Monday. It was his first work since the San Felipe. He’ll work once more before the Santa Anita Derby.

“He went nice, very nice,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert, who said Medina Spirit emerged from the San Felipe with a slightly entrapped epiglottis, for which he had a procedure to correct it.

“Pretty impressive he still ran that well,” Baffert said. “We scoped him after he ran. Gave him a few extra days for it to clear up.”

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John Velazquez will return to Santa Anita to ride Medina Spirit.

Rock Your World, who has won on turf in both his starts, will race on dirt for the first time in the Santa Anita Derby, though all his works have been on dirt. On Monday, he was timed in 1:14.40 for six furlongs under jockey Cerapio Figueroa while in company.

“Went good, out good. Stamina drill,” said his trainer, John Sadler, who said Rock Your World would have his final work on Sunday.

Umberto Rispoli, who rode Rock Your World to victory in the Pasadena Stakes last time out on Feb. 27, has the mount.

Charlatan works easy half-mile

Charlatan on Monday morning at Santa Anita had his first work since finishing second in last month’s Saudi Cup, going an easy half-mile in 48 seconds while in company under exercise rider Juan Ochoa.

“He came back good,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert, who said he had no definitive plans for a next race for Charlatan, but when the Met Mile was suggested, he replied Charlatan would likely return to action before that race, which is on Belmont Stakes Day, June 5.

Also Monday, female sprint champ Gamine worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds as she prepares for her first scheduled start of the year, in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, May 1.