With the likely field for the 138th Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs starting to come into sharper focus, five horses with Derby aspirations worked Monday morning at Churchill Downs, and a surprise Derby starter worked at Calder in advance of his van trip to Kentucky later this week.

Daddy Nose Best, Mark Valeski, and Sabercat – who are certain starters in the Derby – and Isn’t He Clever and Optimizer, who are currently on the bubble in terms of graded earnings, all worked Monday at Churchill Downs, while in Florida, Trinniberg also worked.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Bob Hess Jr. is one of numerous nationally known trainers who came to Kentucky for the early spring but will pack up and leave once the Kentucky Derby has been run for the 138th time on May 5. Hess, who also maintains a Southern California string, said the allure of bigger purses at the Belmont Park meet convinced him to forsake Churchill for the post-Derby period (through July 1) and that he will have 16 stalls instead in New York, where slot revenues are starting to kick in.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Will Phipps, who won a race on Friday and then unleashed a promising Unbridled Song 3-year-old filly named Lorelei’s Song on Sunday to win at first asking for his sixth win of the meeting, reports he will not race in New York this summer as he has in the past, instead taking his stable first to Colonial Downs and then on to Delaware when that Virginia oval closes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – There weren’t many happier people on the planet Sunday night than Charlie Lopresti, who was absolutely ecstatic after watching Wise Dan dominate the Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland in a record-setting performance after a five-month layoff.

Wise Dan, bred and owned by Morton Fink, earned a 117 Beyer Speed Figure from his 10 1/2-length victory, which came in 1:46.63 and broke both the Polytrack and stakes record.

2012 Spring Racing Dates

April 26 - July 15, 2012

Post Times

1:00 p.m. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
7:05 p.m. Fridays, Friday May 4, 1:00 p.m.

Handicapping Information

2013 Spring/Summer Racing Dates

April 27 - July 14

Post Times

12:50 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
11:35 a.m. June 9, 3:00 p.m. June 29, July 6, July 13

Handicapping Information

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita completed its 72-day winter-spring meeting on Sunday with a 7 percent increase in total all-sources handle and a 1 percent increase in ontrack attendance and handle compared to the corresponding 70-day meeting in 2010-2011, the track announced. The meet began Dec. 26 and ended Sunday.

Officials at Santa Anita, which is owned by the Stronach Group, did not release handle or attendance figures.

Finger Lakes has called off its Monday racing card due to the winter storm moving through the area.

Simulcasting will continue as scheduled and the casino will be open.

Live racing is scheduled to resume on Tuesday with a 1:10 p.m. post time.
 

Crossing the Line, a 10-year-old gelding, Grade 2 winner, and for years a favorite at the John Sadler barn, will leave on a winning note. After taking 10 of 20 starts including the Del Mar Mile Handicap in 2007, Crossing the Line has been retired, Sadler said on Sunday.

Crossing the Line won the final start of his career March 22, a $25,000 claimer on the Santa Anita downhill turf course, and was named claimer of the meet at the winter season that concluded Sunday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Potential Kentucky Derby starters Mark Valeski, Optimizer and Isn't He Clever worked after the renovation break at Churchill Downs on Monday, while a fourth, Trinniberg, breezed Monday at Calder. Daddy Nose Best and Sabercat both turned in Derby works earlier that morning.