CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome resumed workouts on Saturday at Los Alamitos, two weeks after winning his third consecutive stakes in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and two weeks before a start in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby.
California Chrome worked a solo half-mile in 47.40 seconds under jockey Victor Espinoza, who did not urge California Chrome through the track’s stretch, which is just longer than a quarter-mile.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Owner Ron Sanchez said the April 5 Wood Memorial – not the Florida Derby on Saturday – will be next for Social Inclusion shortly after the undefeated 3-year-old worked a half-mile from the three-eighths pole in 49.11 seconds Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.
With jockey Jose Contreras aboard, Social Inclusion went his opening three furlongs to the wire in 36.36 before continuing on willingly without being asked into the clubhouse turn. He galloped out five-eighths in 1:03.37.
Four potential Florida Derby starters worked at Palm Meadows on Saturday, topped by Cairo Prince, who breezed an easy half-mile in 50.90. He was joined on the Palm Meadows tab by Constitution (four furlongs in 49.30), Spot (bullet half-mile in 47.70) and Matador (five-eighths in 1:01).
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though trainer Tony Dutrow was initially planning to bring Gotham Stakes third-place finisher In Trouble back to New York for the Wood Memorial on April 5, he is now giving serious consideration to running him in next Saturday’s Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
Both races are run at 1 1/8 miles, worth $1 million, and offer the same amount of qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (100-40-20-10) to the first four finishers. The only difference is the Wood is a Grade 1, the Louisiana Derby a Grade 2.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Champions Beholder and She’s a Tiger had workouts at Santa Anita on Friday for their 2014 debuts that are expected in the next several weeks.
Beholder, champion 2-year-old filly and 3-year-old filly, worked six furlongs in 1:14.40. Trainer Richard Mandella said the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park on June 7 is an early-season goal, with a possible prep race on turf. He mentioned the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf on April 27 at Santa Anita as a possibility, even though Beholder has never run on turf.
Del Mar is in the midst of installing a new turf course, a project that began on Wednesday and is expected to continue through next week. Track president Joe Harper said the project will take about eight working days.
“We’ve got the chute done,” Harper said. “We can do about 10 percent [of the course] a day.
The turf course was widened over the winter to accommodate larger fields. The new sod was grown off the track grounds and arrived at Del Mar Wednesday. Harper said the emphasis in coming months is for the root system to be developed.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Richard Baltas had his first three-win day on Thursday at Santa Anita, a milestone that was not a complete surprise.
Baltas said Friday he was optimistic that Silk in Silver ($3.80) and Rangi ($6.80) could win the first and seventh races on Friday, but that a win in the fourth race by Our Glitter Ball ($20.40) was a pleasant surprise.
“I thought I’d win two,” Baltas said. “The other filly is coming around, but I think mentally a little behind.”
Baltas, 52, saddled his first winner in 1991, and has a 27-horse stable at Santa Anita.
The final meeting at Hollywood Park last autumn ended with a purse underpayment of more than $500,000 that will be distributed in coming weeks, according to Joe Morris, president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California.
The purse payments will be made to owners who had horses earn purses in overnight races.
Los Alamitos is accepting nomination for three lucrative Thoroughbred races in July and December.
The $500,000 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles will be run on July 5. The Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby takes the place of the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park as the top main track race for 3-year-olds in the summer in Southern California.
Los Alamitos has assumed five weeks of racing in July and December previously held at Hollywood Park.
Regular nominations for the Los Alamitos Derby close on May 1.
Patrick Mackey, who has served as assistant racing secretary for the New York Racing Association, Arlington Park, Hawthorne Race Course and Gulfstream Park, was named the racing secretary at Golden Gate Fields on Friday.
Mackey, 36, will replace David Jerkens, who recently accepted the position of racing secretary at Del Mar. Mackey will begin work at Golden Gate on March 27 and have a chance to work with Jerkens for six weeks.
