Skinner works on stamina for Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. - There were aspects of Skinner’s third-place finish in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 4 that left trainer John Shirreffs concerned.

Skinner finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Practical Move, failing to make progress against the winner in the final furlong.

In recent weeks, Shirreffs said that Skinner’s daily exercise has intensified in an effort to improve stamina for a start in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 8.

“We’ve been concentrating on fitness,” Shirreffs said on Sunday. “I think he flattened out a bit at the end of (his last) race.”

On Sunday, Skinner had his second-to-last workout before the Santa Anita Derby, going six furlongs in 1:14.

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The Santa Anita Derby is a key prep for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6. Skinner needs a better performance in the Santa Anita Derby than he showed in the San Felipe to secure a berth in the 20-horse field and rate as a contender for Shirreffs.

Workouts this month, as well as daily gallops, are vital for Skinner’s development as a potential Kentucky Derby runner, Shirreffs said. Shirreffs knows what to expect from a top-level 3-year-old at this time of year. He won the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo.

“They have to change and get better,” Shirreffs said. “As you increase the training load, you have a feel if the horse is handling it or not. That will determine how you move forward.”

Skinner, who races for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable, won a maiden race at a mile in his 3-year-old debut on Feb. 12. Last year, Skinner started in two Grade 1 races, finishing third in the Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs and sixth of eighth in the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 8 in his final start of the year.

On Sunday at Santa Anita, Skinner was one of four Santa Anita Derby hopefuls to record workouts.

Practical Move, who won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December in his final start of 2022, worked five furlongs in a quick 59.20 seconds, the fastest of 94 works at the distance.

Trainer Tim Yakteen described the work as “straightforward.”

“He was just cruising,” Yakteen said. “You want to see energy and that’s what we’re seeing.”

Geaux Rocket Ride, second by 2 1/2 lengths in the San Felipe in his stakes debut and second career start, worked six furlongs in 1:13.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Geaux Rocket Ride is not the sort of runner who produces flashy workout times.

“He’s not a show-off kind of horse,” Mandella said. “He runs harder in the afternoon, which is a nice thing.”

I Don’t Get It, a maiden race winner on March 11, worked a half-mile in 53.80 seconds on Sunday for trainer Doug O’Neill. The Santa Anita Derby will be I Don’t Get It’s stakes debut.

National Treasure, unraced since a third-place finish at 3-5 in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in January, worked six furlongs in 1:12.20.

Yakteen said National Treasure remains a candidate for the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, but has not ruled out keeping the colt in California for the Santa Anita Derby.

National Treasure, withdrawn from the San Felipe Stakes because of a tender foot, was part of a small group of 3-year-olds that joined Yakteen’s stable in late February from trainer Bob Baffert to remain eligible for potential starts in the Kentucky Derby.

They were required to be transferred by Feb. 28 to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby in major stakes in March and April. Baffert is ineligible to run horses in the Kentucky Derby this year following a suspension issued by Churchill Downs management in 2021.

The two-year suspension, which ends this year, was put in place after the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit had a medication violation following a first-place finish in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Reincarnate, recently transferred from Baffert to Yakteen, worked five furlongs in 59.80 on Sunday for a scheduled start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Reincarnate finished a troubled third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 25.

Fort Bragg, another recent transfer to Yakteen, worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Sunday for Saturday’s Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Fort Bragg finished fifth of nine in the San Felipe after a wide trip in his debut for Yakteen.

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