HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Bayerd, the winner of the $255,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in December who finished an uncharacteristic eighth in the Southwest Stakes on Sunday at Oaklawn, will cut back in distance for his next start, said trainer Steve Asmussen. He said the horse is being pointed for the $100,000 Gazebo for 3-year-olds at six furlongs March 21 at Oaklawn.
Bayerd is a two-time winner at the distance, in a maiden special weight at Saratoga and the Kip Deville at Remington.
Daredevil was assigned post 1 for his much-awaited seasonal debut in the $200,000 Swale Stakes, one of three graded stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
One of the handful of Kentucky Derby prospects trained by Todd Pletcher, Daredevil will be making his first start since finishing last of 11 as the 5-2 second choice in the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The colt will be ridden by Javier Castellano when facing six others in the seven-furlong Swale.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mr. Z is being pointed for the Louisiana Derby, with Corey Nakatani to have the mount, said trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Nakatani rode the horse for the first time Sunday, when Mr. Z finished a close third in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes.
The Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby is a 1 1/8-mile race at Fair Grounds on March 28. The winner will earn 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.
Sensitively won her debut in a maiden race by 9 1/4 lengths Feb. 21 and could go for a stakes in her second start this spring, according to trainer Phil D’Amato.
Sensitively earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for her victory, in which she raced near the front and pulled clear through the stretch. The win was not a surprise to D’Amato, who trains Sensitively for owner-breeder John Liviakis.
Gorgeous Bird, never a factor when fifth as the 6-1 fourth choice in the Fountain of Youth Stakes last Saturday, still could get a shot at a Kentucky Derby berth by making his next start in the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
“That’s my first reaction, to point him to the Blue Grass,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “But first I’ll have to see how he trains. He came out of the race just fine.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A closely spaced series of workouts at Payson Park has ended for Tonalist, leading trainer Christophe Clement to say that he will not run his stable star at the ongoing Gulfstream Park meet or in the March 28 Dubai World Cup.
Clement said he decided against trying to make the Dubai race and therefore has eased off slightly in his training of Tonalist at Payson, the bucolic training center located nearly two hours north of Gulfstream.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Two sprint wins in three starts since late November have resulted in Rattataptap’s entry in Saturday’s $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita.
The Grade 3 Santa Ysabel is run at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies and will be the longest race of Rattataptap’s career. As a test of stamina, the Santa Ysabel Stakes is likely to determine whether Rattataptap’s season will focus on sprints or two-turn races.
“It’s time to find out,” trainer Jeff Bonde said this week.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 156th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate headlines Woodbine’s 2015 stakes schedule, which features 102 races worth more than $20 million in total.
The Queen’s Plate is the highlight of the July 5 card, which also will include the Grade 2 Dance Smartly, Grade 2 Highlander, and Grade 3 Singspiel stakes. The $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds, also will be contested on the Queen’s Plate card.
Imperia, who finished fifth as the favorite Saturday in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, could make his next start in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 21, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Wednesday from the Palm Meadows training center in Florida.
