Santa Anita Derby becomes the focus for Anneau d'Or

Anneau d’Or, a close second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November but ninth as the even-money favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds, is on schedule for a start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

Anneau d’Or worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Golden Gate Fields last Saturday, the colt’s second workout since the loss in the Risen Star on Feb. 15.

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Trainer Blaine Wright chose not to dwell on the defeat in a phone interview on Wednesday. Anneau d’Or was fourth early in the Risen Star, but faded to finish 12 3/4 lengths behind Modernist.

“I’m not looking back any more,” he said. “It is what it is at this point. We have no idea what really went wrong.”

Owned by Peter Redekop, Anneau d’Or was beaten a head by Storm the Court in the BC Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 in his second start. Anneau d’Or was later second by a neck to Thousand Words in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 7. The Risen Star Stakes was Anneau d’Or’s first start this year.

“We’ll breeze him one more time at Golden Gate and head down for a breeze at Santa Anita a week before,” Wright said.

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With the Kentucky Derby postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5 because of the coronavirus outbreak, Wright said the $1 million Santa Anita Derby is the primary goal for Anneau d’Oro in early spring. The Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico and Lexington Stakes at Keeneland have been canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

“This is our race right here,” he said. “All we can focus on is the Santa Anita Derby.”

Juan Hernandez is booked to ride Anneau d’Oro in the Santa Anita Derby, replacing Joel Rosario. Hernandez rode Anneau d’Oro in the colt’s three starts at 2, which included an eight-length win in his debut in a maiden special weight race at Golden Gate Fields last September.