ARCADIA, Calif. – Given the high percent of winning favorites in Santa Anita turf routes this winter, perhaps veteran gelding Aligato will score an overdue victory in Friday’s featured seventh race.
The role of favorite is familiar for Aligato, a consistent late-runner whose most recent win was two years ago in a $200,000 California-bred stakes. Aligato ran well 10 subsequent starts following that victory, but his rally always fell short, including three misses as the favorite.
Domestic Product, runner-up to Hades in the Holy Bull Stakes on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park, will most likely make his next start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby on March 9, trainer Chad Brown said this week.
Brown believes Domestic Product is the type of horse who will benefit from more racing and by running in the Tampa Bay Derby, which allows him to run him back once more before a potential start in the Kentucky Derby.
David Whitworth Beckman has helped many horses get to Triple Crown races. He worked with Uncle Mo and Eskendereya, both scratched in the run-up to the Kentucky Derby, and with Super Saver, who won the 2010 Derby. Beckman also laid hands on Good Magic, second in the 2018 Derby, and Cloud Computing, winner of the 2017 Preakness.
WHO’S HOT
Sierra Leone is the updated Derby Watch favorite, at least until he runs Saturday in an outstanding edition of the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. Derby Watch linemaker David Aragona lists Sierra Leone as the tepid 12-1 choice after downgrading Locked, who missed his scheduled comeback last week after spiking a fever.
In early January, his horse gearing up for his first timed workout following a post-Breeders’ Cup respite, trainer Brad Cox said everything would have to go right with Timberlake for the colt to make his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel Stakes.
So far, everything has gone right, and Timberlake is on target to race Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park in the Rebel.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The last time King Russell raced at 1 1/8 miles he was second in the Arkansas Derby in a performance that yielded the points needed for him to ultimately land in the Kentucky Derby.
There’s not as much at stake when he returns to the distance Friday at Oaklawn Park for an entry-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up. But the race is still an important test for King Russell, who is making his second start since June.
Endlessly started on a synthetic track for the first time when he won the third stakes of his brief career in the $101,350 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
The victory did not change trainer Michael McCarthy’s outlook for the colt’s spring campaign.
“We know he’s a top talent on the turf,” McCarthy said Sunday. “He showed his versatility on the synthetic. We’ll keep him on the turf for now.”
White Abarrio was pronounced ready for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 24 by exercise rider Emily Ellingwood after working a half-mile in 47.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday.
White Abarrio “was eager to do more,” according to Ellingwood.
