California trainer Doug O’Neill is sending his leading 3-year-olds across the country for major Triple Crown prep races in coming weeks. O’Neill said on Thursday that Pavlovian, winner of the $500,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park on Feb. 15, will have his next start in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on March 21. Work, the winner of a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Feb. 15, will have his stakes debut in Saturday’s $500,000 Virginia Derby at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Colonial Downs. Robusta, a game second at 67-1 in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday, will remain in California for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 4. Civil Liberty, second by a neck in a maiden race at Santa Anita last Saturday, will be sent to Aqueduct for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on April 4, O’Neill said. Pavlovian, who races for owners and breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam, won his first stakes in his sixth start in such a race in the Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles, finishing a nose in front of Express Kid. Earlier this week, trainer Justin Evans said Express Kid is bound for the $750,000 Wood Memorial. :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby day. The $1 million Louisiana Derby is run at 1 3/16 miles. O’Neill wrote in a text message on Thursday that the timing of the race, its longer distance, and the length of the stretch at Fair Grounds contributed to the decision. The stretch of the main track at Fair Grounds covers 1,346 feet, slightly longer than Churchill Downs, which has a stretch of 1,234 feet. O’Neill envisions the Louisiana Derby as a prep for Pavlovian to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2. O’Neill, 57, has won the Kentucky Derby twice, with I’ll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016. Pavlovian has 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, ranking 17th in the nation through Thursday. The Louisiana Derby is worth 100, 50, 25, 15, and 10 qualifying points to the first five finishers. Pavlovian is almost certain to need more than 20 qualifying points to secure a berth in the Kentucky Derby. The top 20 qualifiers start in the Kentucky Derby, but the list among domestic hopefuls could be reduced to 17 if two qualifiers from the Middle East-European series and one qualifier from the Japanese series accept berths. Robusta has 25 qualifying points. He stalked the pace in the San Felipe, led by a length with a furlong remaining, and was beaten a head by Potente. Robusta was fitted with blinkers for the first time in the San Felipe Stakes, his fourth start. Civil Liberty started in two Grade 1 stakes last year, finishing third in the Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs and fourth in the American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. Civil Liberty, who has two Kentucky Derby points, started for the first time this year on Saturday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.