This is precisely the time of year when the importance of first-level, two-turn allowances for 3-year-olds becomes magnified, most notably at a major track such as Fair Grounds. A proverbial jump off the television screen tends to earn an up-high mention in the “up-and-coming” or “sleeper” category for the Kentucky Derby, just below the confirmed candidates.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Pathfork was a disappointing sixth in his U.S. debut, the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 4.
Mistakes were made that day, trainer John Sadler said last weekend, and will not be repeated when Pathfork starts in a $63,000 allowance over a mile on turf on Friday. Expect Pathfork to race near the lead, and not behind horses, he said.
“We thought we fought the horse a little bit in the Arcadia, but this is more of a free-running horse,” Sadler said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six new horses are in the lineup of 23 separately listed wagering interests in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens its three-day run Friday at noon Eastern.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Game On Dude will not defend his title in Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap and will make his next start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31, trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday.
“He’s not running,” Baffert said. “He’s going to Dubai.”
Baffert said he may not have a runner in the Big Cap, a race he has won the last two years. Prayer for Relief, a three-time graded stakes winner last year, may also pass the race, he said. Baffert had until later on Wednesday morning to decide whether Prayer for Relief will start.
Mark Valeski nearly aced his stakes and two-turn debut Saturday in the Risen Star, losing by a nose to El Padrino, but to trainer Larry Jones, that performance could wind up being a mere point of departure.
“I really do think he can improve,” Jones said Tuesday. “I do know when he was ready to go over to race Saturday, I looked at him and I thought, ‘Boy you’re still fat!’ In my opinion this race will tighten him up. I don’t think he’s peaked by any means.”
For most early season 3-year-olds, races offer an opportunity to learn something. That’s what happened with Summer Applause, who had raced on the lead when she impressively won a first-level allowance race Dec. 31 at Fair Grounds.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Pace makes Stay Put’s race, and it appears he could get some accommodating fractions Thursday in the eighth race at Oaklawn Park. He will meet five stakes winners in the 1 1/16-mile allowance, including the front-running Kate’s Main Man, sprint-to-route prospect Wild Jacob and the comebacking Stachys.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Well-regarded French import Camelia Rose makes her U.S. debut Thursday at Santa Anita. The timing is perfect for the filly, and for horseplayers.
Camelia Rose is a potential “single” for pick-six bettors targeting a one-day carryover of $135,405. The pick six is races 3-8.
As for the filly, Camelia Rose will use the nine-furlong allowance to prep for a graded stakes campaign for trainer Simon Callaghan and owner J. Paul Reddam. Expectations into the race-7 feature are extraordinarily high.
Algorithms will have surgery for a fractured splint bone in his right front leg and will miss the Triple Crown, trainer Todd Pletcher and co-owner Jack Wolf said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
The news ended a whirlwind 48-hour period for Algorithms, who on Sunday was scheduled to run in the Fountain of Youth Stakes but was scratched that morning from the race because of a problem with the splint. Subsequent radiographs revealed the extent of the damage.
