Trainers Steve Asmussen, D. Wayne Lukas, and Todd Pletcher are all pointing horses to the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 25. The race is the richest of the Sunland Park meet and will anchor a program of seven stakes, including the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks.
The card will be drawn Wednesday.
The Sunland Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, with the first four finishers earning points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.
McKinzie will remain at Santa Anita for the Santa Anita Derby on April 7, while Justify will go to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby on April 14, trainer Bob Baffert said Friday.
Baffert is known to call audibles, but on Friday he said “as of today” that was the plan with his two highly regarded Kentucky Derby prospects.
McKinzie was disqualified from victory in the San Felipe Stakes on March 10 in favor of Bolt d’Oro. The Santa Anita Derby thus sets up as a rematch between those two, since Bolt d’Oro is also intended for the Santa Anita Derby.
In an effort to increase field size – and subsequently handle – the New York Racing Association announced a rewards program for horses who race frequently at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga.
Under the program, horses can compete for from 5 to 15 percent more purse money based on how many starts they make at a NYRA track from April 6 through April 1, 2019.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It may have been just an easy maintenance half-mile in 49.38 seconds, but trainer Mark Hennig could not be happier with the way his Florida Derby hopeful Strike Power continues to progress following his second-place finish two weeks ago in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Rodrigo Ubillo said he doesn’t like to make excuses for Highway Star when she runs poorly, but the New York-bred mare certainly had reasons for her last-place finish in the Heavenly Prize Invitational last Saturday at Aqueduct.
Ubillo said Highway Star came out of the race sore in her back. Also, she scoped with mucus in her lungs. Lastly, Highway Star’s protein level was low, according to Ubillo.
“She never showed any signs of being sick,” Ubillo said. “We check temperatures every day; we never heard her cough.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After winning five stakes over six weeks at this meet, trainer Linda Rice had to settle for second-place finishes in two stakes at Aqueduct last weekend.
But the efforts put in by Do Share and Holiday Disguise could have them well prepared for their next stakes engagements.
Do Share, who rallied from last to get second in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap, will make his next start in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 7.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Unique Bella could soon make the first road trip of her career, having recovered from the cough that interrupted her training and cost her a start in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and assistant Dan Ward are considering the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 13 at Oaklawn Park for Unique Bella, whose nine starts and seven wins have been in California. “That would be a good test, shipping for the first time,” Ward said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – California-bred fillies and mares race for a $100,000 purse in the Irish O’Brien Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita. The question: On which course will the race be run?
The Irish O’Brien is scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs on the hill, race 3. But with more rain expected Friday night, the race could be moved to dirt.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Back-to-back stakes victories propelled Pubilius Syrus to the head of the local 3-year-old turf class, at least for the time being. On Saturday at Santa Anita, he faces a formidable rival whose maiden and allowance wins suggest he could be any type.
River Boyne, a small but mighty import who won both of his starts at this meet by open lengths, will be tough to beat in the $200,000 Pasadena Stakes if he reproduces his most recent start, a first-level allowance he won by nearly three lengths.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park will increase gross purses by up to $1 million at the six-month summer meet, which begins April 5, according to a track release.
The track is using incentives to increase field size as one way to boost purses, including 10 percent supplements when there is a minimum of seven starters in two-turn dirt races and eight in off-the-turf races. Also, bonuses will be paid to Florida-breds in open maiden races.
