Smokey Image, Uncle Lino will try again in Santa Anita Derby

Smokey Image and Uncle Lino, who were fifth and fourth in the San Felipe Stakes last Saturday, will try again against one-two-three finishers Danzing Candy, Mor Spirit, and Exaggerator in the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9, their trainers said Thursday.

Smokey Image was the third choice in the six-horse field, had never lost, and had trained well going into the race. He was uncharacteristically flat. Trainer Carla Gaines on Thursday said, “He appears to be good, way better than me,” and said jockey Victor Espinoza told her, “He basically had no horse at the three-quarter pole.”

“He’s sound, he’s healthy, his blood count is good,” Gaines said. “I’ll keep an eye on him, but if everything’s good, we’ll try again in the Santa Anita Derby.”

Uncle Lino stalked the pace of Danzing Candy before fading down the stretch after taking a solid bump from Exaggerator at the quarter pole. Gary Sherlock, who trains Uncle Lino, said he was relieved that Uncle Lino had come out of the race well and said he too would run in the Santa Anita Derby.

Stevens believes Mor Spirit can improve

Gary Stevens said he believes Mor Spirit will be a much more focused runner in the Santa Anita Derby after becoming hard to handle early in the San Felipe, in which he rallied to finish second.

“He learned more in that race than in all the others combined,” Stevens said Thursday. “And I loved the way he galloped out.”