ARCADIA, Calif. – Ayacara closed with interest to finish second in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 3 in his 3-year-old debut. Next for Ayacara is the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes next Saturday, a key prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 7.
Ayacara will be a longshot in the race, expected to include the Grade 1 winners Bolt d’Oro and McKinzie. But Ayacara belongs in the race, according to trainer Keith Desormeaux.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Salty, who was competitive with the best 3-year-old fillies of 2017, likely will be pointed to the Grade 1 La Troienne on the May 4 Kentucky Oaks undercard after a successful return to action Thursday at Gulfstream. Mark Casse trains the Quality Road filly for Gary Barber and partners.
“I’d like to have something in between,” Casse said Friday morning. “Gary and I will have that conversation later on. She’s already a Grade 2 winner, and obviously the goal this year is to make her a Grade 1 winner.”
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Last year’s Triple Crown was won by three different horses, with Todd Pletcher trainees Always Dreaming (Derby) and Tapwrit (Belmont) bookending the Preakness win by Cloud Computing.
All three are on the comeback trail. Cloud Computing, trained by Chad Brown, has had a couple of three-furlong works at Palm Meadows on consecutive Sundays, and Brown said he is targeting the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont on May 5 as Cloud Computing’s ideal return spot.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Economic Model, winner of the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24, could move into Grade 1 company for his next start, which might come in the $400,000 Carter Handicap on April 7 at Aqueduct, trainer Chad Brown said.
“I think I might cut him back to something at seven furlongs, maybe try the Carter,” Brown said at the Palm Meadows training center. “That’s option number one right now. But I don’t know for certain yet.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Quezon, a multiple New York-bred stakes-winning mare, will make the final start of her career in the $100,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct on March 17, trainer Robert Ribaudo said Thursday.
After being forced to scratch out of the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel due to an equine herpesvirus situation at Belmont Park, Quezon was being considered for the Heavenly Prize on March 10 or the Correction. Ribaudo prefers the six furlongs of the Correction to the mile of the Heavenly Prize, which is expected to draw Highway Star and Divine Miss Grey.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Westerdale, a 14 3/4-length maiden winner at Aqueduct on Sunday, will be pointed to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 7, trainer Tom Morley said Thursday.
Morley, who is part owner of Westerdale, has always been high on this son of Flat Out. He finished third in his two starts at 2, including in a race won by Mask when both debuted at Belmont last Oct. 20. Mask came back to win the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream in January.
“He was a bit too keen in the race,” Morley said.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is changing plans with his 3-year-olds, opting to keep Kanthaka in Southern California for the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe at Santa Anita and deciding to ship Afleet Ascent to New York for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. Both races are March 10.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Miss Sunset beat California-breds in the $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes for female sprinters at Santa Anita last Sunday, her seventh stakes win. Chances are Miss Sunset will race in a graded stakes in early spring.
On Thursday, trainer Jeff Bonde said he is considering two seven-furlong races for Miss Sunset – the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita on March 24 or the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 7.
In either race, Miss Sunset will face a stern test.
“You can’t hide,” he said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Blackjackcat, third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar last fall and fifth in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes on Feb. 10, will miss the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 10.
Trainer Mark Glatt said on Thursday that Blackjackcat has not had a workout since the Thunder Road Stakes, in which he was beaten five lengths by the winner, Om.
“We’re going to pass,” Glatt said. “Our plans are a little bit up in the air. We want to make sure he’s good and ready when we do come back.”
