Plans uncertain for Saint's Fan

Saint’s Fan could make his next start in the $1 million Louisiana Derby here on April 1. Or he could make his next start at Keeneland in April. Or be pointed for the $75,000 Crescent City Derby for Louisiana-breds, another April 1 race at Fair Grounds.

The point is that Dallas Stewart, who bred, owns, and trains Saint’s Fan, isn’t in a rush to decide exactly where to run his horse, who worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds here Friday.

Saint’s Fan was a sharp winner of his debut, an open maiden sprint at Churchill Downs in November, and came back to capture the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile in December at Fair Grounds. But Saint’s Fan took his first loss when he finished third as the odds-on favorite in the $100,000 Premier Prince for Louisiana-breds on Feb. 11 at Delta Downs. The race was Saint’s Fan’s first two-turn try, but Stewart said it was a lack of fitness that hurt Saint’s Fan.

“He needed the race,” Stewart said. “I’m not in any hurry with him. It’s a long year.”

Stewart is taking the same approach with Tom’s Ready. The 4-year-old Tom’s Ready finished second in the Louisiana Derby here last spring and went on to win the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont and the Ack Ack against older horses last fall at Churchill. He concluded his 2016 campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Tom’s Ready has worked three furlongs once and a half-mile three times in recent weeks, but Stewart said he has no intention of racing Tom’s Ready until after he ships his stable north to Kentucky in April.