Arrogate had an early start to beat the heat at Santa Anita on Saturday, working seven-eighths in 1:25.60.
Trainer Bob Baffert pushed up Arrogate’s workout to just before 7 a.m. on Saturday on a day in which temperatures through much of Southern California were expected to surpass 100 degrees.
Arrogate was ridden by jockey Martin Garcia, who frequently rides Baffert’s leading horses in workouts. Arrogate was timed galloping out a mile in 1:38 on a track Baffert described as “sort of deep.”
Jockey Iram Diego reached a milestone of 1,000 Thoroughbred wins in North America on Friday night, when he guided Mr. Lexis to a 1 3/4-length win in the ninth and final race on the card at Lone Star Park. He was aboard for Michael Annechino and trainer Jose Rodriguez Torres.
Services for Marshall Robinson, who bred champion sprinter Groovy, were held Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas. Robinson died Saturday at the age of 86, according to a notice posted by the Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Robinson was a past president of the Texas Thoroughbred Association. Groovy was the champion sprinter of 1987.
A collection of six turf stakes that were to be run this meet at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., are scheduled to be moved to Louisiana Downs, according to Chris Warren, director of racing for Evangeline.
Evangeline has been unable to use its turf course at this meet and recently called off turf racing for the remainder of the season.
Jockey Sasha Risenhoover seemed headed down a different career path after two years of classes in psychology and sociology. But she ended up veering sharply toward racing and is now making her mark on the Texas circuit.
Risenhoover won the Retama Park title in a tie with veteran Ted Gondron last fall in San Antonio and has carried her momentum over to Lone Star Park near Dallas, where she ranked third in the standings through Thursday.
Next Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Indiana Derby, to be drawn Wednesday, seems likely to be headed by Ohio Derby winner Irap.
Other starters expected by Indiana Grand stakes coordinator Jeff Johnston include Awesome Saturday, Brockton George, Colonelsdarktemper, Han Sense, Society Beau, Top Credentials, Untrapped, and perhaps Sorry Erik.
Unlikely for the Indiana Derby is Girvin, who was beaten a nose by Irap in the Ohio Derby. Girvin is being pointed for the Haskell, according to trainer Joe Sharp.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If Classic Empire makes the July 30 Haskell at Monmouth Park, he will do so without a lot of training time to spare. Scratched from the June 10 Belmont Stakes with a foot abscess, his subsequent training has fallen behind schedule, trainer Mark Casse said Friday.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Diversify, who won the Saginaw Stakes last Sunday by 2 3/4 lengths to improve his record to 5 for 8, could make his next start on turf, trainer Rick Violette said.
Violette doesn’t see a good dirt option at Saratoga for Diversify, and he did work him once on the grass course at Belmont, where he went five furlongs in 1:00.98.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Though Emancipation was beaten a half-length on Tuesday in his second start, trainer Shug McGaughey felt the race was even better than his debut win here last month. Emancipation, a full brother to 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, finished third in his first try against winners but had a wide trip.
McGaughey said he plans to run Emancipation next at Saratoga.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Just 54 horses have been entered for Sunday’s nine-race program at Los Alamitos, including four races with five-horse fields.
Racing secretary Bob Moreno expressed concern before the meeting regarding field size, but there were reasonably large fields during the first three days of the meeting. There was an average of 7.6 runners per race on Thursday’s eight-race program, and 63 horses were entered for Friday’s eight-race program and 71 for Saturday’s nine-race program.
