Santa Anita Derby contenders put in works

ARCADIA, Calif. – Six of the seven probable starters for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9, including the stakes winners Danzing Candy, Exaggerator, Iron Rob, and Smokey Image, had workouts at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Danzing Candy, the winner of the $400,345 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 12, worked five furlongs in company with a stablemate in 1:00.60. Jockey Mike Smith, who has the mount in the Santa Anita Derby, worked Danzing Candy, who was not urged in the final furlong of the exercise.

“He really worked easily,” trainer Clifford Sise said.

Danzing Candy and Mor Spirit, a two-time stakes winner who was second in the Grade 2 San Felipe, are the leading contenders for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Mor Spirit was the only Santa Anita Derby hopeful not to work Saturday morning. He was on the track for a gallop instead and will have a workout in the coming days.

Exaggerator, the winner of the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot in Louisiana last November and third in the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in 1:02.80. Jockey Kent Desormeaux was aboard Exaggerator, who was well within himself late.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux timed Exaggerator galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.80 and seven furlongs in 1:29.80.

Smokey Image, the champion California-bred 2-year-old male of 2015 who was fifth in the San Felipe, worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 without company.

“He was relaxed,” trainer Carla Gaines said. “It was a nice, steady work.”

Gaines said she timed Smokey Image galloping out seven furlongs in 1:26. Smokey Image, a five-time stakes winner, was beaten for the first time in his seventh start in the San Felipe.

Iron Rob will have his graded stakes debut and the longest race of his career in the Santa Anita Derby. Trained by George Papaprodromou, Iron Rob has won two sprint stakes this year.

On Saturday, Iron Rob worked six furlongs in company in 1:14.20 under jockey Stewart Elliott, who has the mount in the Santa Anita Derby.

“Elliott said he felt like the horse had more,” Papaprodromou said. “We didn’t do too much, and we didn’t do too little.”

Uncle Lino, second to Mor Spirit in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 6 and fourth in the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in 1:02.40. In the Santa Anita Derby, Uncle Lino will race without blinkers for the first time in his sixth start.

“He worked by himself,” trainer Gary Sherlock said of Saturday’s exercise. “I want to get him to relax. It’s a question of how he goes to the gate.”

Denman’s Call will start around two turns for the first time in the Santa Anita Derby. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Denman’s Call was second to Iron Rob in the San Pedro Stakes at six furlongs March 20.

On Saturday, Denman’s Call worked a mile in 1:43.20.

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