Storm the Court among classy group of Saturday workers

From a champion to Grade 1 winners to a graded stakes winner who had an eventful trip to the other side of the world last month, there were several notable workouts at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The track is not operating after it was ordered closed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on March 27 because of the coronavirus outbreak. While track officials are hoping for a quick resolution with government officials, there is no timetable for a resumption of racing.

Training continues. There were 206 works on Saturday in advance of a rainstorm on Sunday night likely to result in the closure of track for training on Monday.

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Storm the Court the champion 2-year-old male of 2019, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds for a possible start in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on May 2.

“I’m still thinking the Arkansas Derby,” trainer Peter Eurton said. “I’ve been working him by himself. Today, someone jumped in with him and he got into the bridle.”

Eurton timed Storm the Court galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.20. Storm the Court was third in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 7. The race was intended to be a prep for the Santa Anita Derby, which was scheduled for Saturday but postponed, presumably to later in the meeting, which concludes on June 21.

Several other notable runners who had workouts on Saturday are bound for major stakes at Oaklawn Park. The Arkansas track has continued to operate this spring without spectators.

Ce Ce and Ollie’s Candy, the first and third finishers in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 14, worked five furlongs on Saturday in advance of the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on April 18.

Ollie’s Candy, the winner of the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar last summer, was timed in 58.60 seconds, while Ce Ce was timed in 1:00.

John Sadler trains Ollie’s Candy and has two other runners who worked on Saturday scheduled to be sent to Oaklawn Park, Combatant and Flagstaff. Combatant, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, worked five furlongs in 1:01, while Flagstaff, who won the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes on March 7, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20.

Flagstaff is scheduled to run in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 18, two weeks before Combatant will start in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2.

Venetian Harbor, who had been scheduled to run in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on Saturday, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. Trainer Richard Baltas is planning to start Venetian Harbor in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park on May 1.

Higher Power, the winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar last August for Sadler, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds. Higher Power is likely to remain at Santa Anita for a start this spring.

Eight Rings and Thousand Words, two 3-year-old stakes winners trained by Bob Baffert, worked on Saturday. Thousand Words, who has won three of four starts, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40. Thousand Words won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and was fourth in the San Felipe.

Eight Rings, who won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita last November, worked seven furlongs in 1:27.80. Eight Rings was sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in November in his latest start.

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Baffert said he has no race plans for Eight Rings, and is closing watching news reports in the hope the coronavirus outbreak begins to subside.

“We’re taking care of the horses,” Baffert said. “Nothing has slacked off there.”

Baffert has relied upon exercise riders instead of jockeys to work his leading horses. Santa Anita announced last weekend that jockeys are not permitted in the stable area because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The outbreak led to a strange March for United, the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita in November. Trained by Richard Mandella, United was sent to Dubai for the $6 million Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on March 28. Then Dubai racing officials announced the cancellation of the Dubai World Cup program, which included the Sheema Classic.

United was flown back to the United States a few days later.

Saturday, United worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds, his first workout since his return.

“I’m letting him get back into the game,” Mandella said. “I don’t know what to point for but we don’t want him to go too far backward.”