ARCADIA, Calif. - There were aspects of Skinner’s third-place finish in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 4 that left trainer John Shirreffs concerned.
Skinner finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Practical Move, failing to make progress against the winner in the final furlong.
In recent weeks, Shirreffs said that Skinner’s daily exercise has intensified in an effort to improve stamina for a start in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 8.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Rocket Can and Reincarnate, who have won graded stakes on opposite coasts, will be part of a field of 11 for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The 1 1/8-mile race was drawn on Sunday in a ceremony that took place in the winner’s circle. Oaklawn also drew the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy, with Wet Paint leading a field of 10. The Arkansas Derby offers qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and the Fantasy does the same for the Kentucky Oaks.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The road to the Kentucky Derby got a little trickier for the undisputed division leader Forte early Saturday afternoon after the reigning 2-year-old champion drew post position 11 in a surprisingly full field of 12 3-year-olds entered for next Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby.
Horses breaking from post position 11 in races run at the Florida Derby distance of a mile and one-eighth over the main track at Gulfstream Park have won just 2 of 49 starts, due in large part to the short run to the first turn since the track was reconfigured in 2006.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The complexion of the starting lineup for next Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby took a turn for the better Friday with confirmation that Fort Bragg and Mage are now both being pointed to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby prep.
Fort Bragg was one of seven 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s Sunland Park Derby before his connections called an audible and decided to re-route him to Gulfstream Park six days later. Fort Bragg is coming off a fifth-place finish behind stablemate Practical Move in the Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita in his only start this season.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Rombauer, the 2021 Preakness winner who has not raced in nearly two years, has resumed light training for a potential comeback later this season.
Owner-breeder John Fradkin confirmed Thursday that Rombauer, a 5-year-old full horse by Twirling Candy, is galloping at a training track in Ocala, Fla. If all goes well, Rombauer could return to the races later this year.
“We’re hopeful to get him back to the races, but it’s not for sure,” Fradkin said. “We’re cautiously optimistic, and if anything goes wrong, we’ll pull the plug.”
Del Mar this year will continue to offer a 25 percent purse bonus to the owners of runners who finish in the first five in certain maiden races on dirt, provided their trainers have fewer than 60 horses in training in Southern California.
