Nolo Contesto likely to go in Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nolo Contesto, who beat the recent graded stakes winner Omaha Beach in January, is likely to start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 6, pending a workout on Saturday.

Trainer John Sadler said on Wednesday that the $1 million Santa Anita Derby is under consideration along with the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland or the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, both on April 6.

As of Wednesday, Sadler was leaning toward the Santa Anita Derby for Nolo Contesto as a chance to gain qualifying points for a berth in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4.

“We’ll get a shot to see if he can qualify,” Sadler said. “We won’t force it.

“What could be attractive about the Santa Anita Derby is it will have a smaller field.”

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Wednesday, Sadler said he was not certain who will ride Nolo Contesto on April 6.

In his first three races, Nolo Contesto was ridden by Joel Rosario, but Rosario is booked to ride Game Winner, the champion 2-year-old male of 2018, in the Santa Anita Derby.

In his most recent start, Nolo Contesto was second by 2 1/2 lengths behind Roadster in an optional claimer at a mile at Santa Anita on March 1. Roadster is a contender for the Santa Anita Derby.

Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Nolo Contesto finished a half-length in front of Omaha Beach in a maiden race at a mile on Jan. 4. Omaha Beach beat Game Winner by a nose in a division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park last Saturday.

“He was flattered by Omaha Beach a little bit,” Sadler said.

Rosario is the leading rider at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with 51 wins, five more than runner-up Flavien Prat. There has been no racing at Santa Anita since March 3 as track officials have conducted an investigation into a series of equine fatalities since late December.

Racing is scheduled to resume on March 29.

Rosario is scheduled to ride the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on March 30, and will ride the following day at Santa Anita, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.

Rosario is booked to ride at Santa Anita on April 6-7 before moving to Keeneland for that track’s spring meeting.

Big Cap outsiders on work tab

Prime Attraction and Prince of Arabia, who will be longshots in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on April 6, were among 83 horses that had workouts at Santa Anita on Wednesday.

Prime Attraction, a graded stakes winner who was fourth in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs last November, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. Prince of Arabia, 12th in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes on turf at Santa Anita on Feb. 9, worked the same distance in 1:04.60.

The $600,000 Big Cap was scheduled for March 9 but postponed a month after Santa Anita suspended racing in early March.

On the infield training track, Bowies Hero, the winner of the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf in 2018, worked five furlongs in 1:04.80. Bowies Hero has not raced since finishing 11th in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile last August.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields on April 27 could be Bowies Hero’s first start of 2019.