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ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on Saturday took a one-two punch this week when Premier Pegasus, the favorite, and top contender Jaycito were withdrawn.
The richest night of Sam Houston’s meet for Quarter Horses will be held on Saturday, with Special Royal Corona leading the Grade 2, $600,000 Sam Houston Futurity and Texas Icon the probable favorite for the Grade 2, $152,800 Sam Houston Derby.
Special Royal Corona, a son of Corona Cartel who was a $50,000 purchase in 2010 at Heritage Place, set the fastest qualifying time for the futurity. He covered 330 yards in 16.89 seconds, while winning by 1 1/4 lengths under regular rider Cipriano Vidana.
Premier Pegasus, the winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes last month, will miss Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby because of a hairline fracture in the cannon bone of his left foreleg, according to Maria Ayala, the assistant to owner-trainer Myung Kwon Cho.
Premier Pegasus was the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the Santa Anita Derby.
Ayala said the diagnosis was made late Thursday morning after Premier Pegasus had galloped on Santa Anita’s infield training track.
The Nutz returns to action Saturday off a runner-up effort in his seasonal debut to head a field of nine older horses in the $20,000 Dowd Mile Stakes at Fonner Park. The Dowd serves as the final local prep for the $75,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes later this month.
A pair of six-furlong races for Oklahoma-breds highlight the Saturday program at Will Rogers, with Hollywood Ice seeking his first stakes win in the $50,000 Oklahoma Thoroughbred Association Classic and Miss Natalie to start as part of a favored entry in the $50,000 Cherokee Casino Classic.
Both races are for 3-year-olds and upward.
Hayley’s Halo, who had a four-race win streak snapped last month, will likely be favored to resume her winning ways Saturday in the $50,000 Czaria at Sunland Park. She is one of eight fillies and mares set to start in the six-furlong race at the New Mexico track.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Coffee Boy and D’ Funnybone first crossed paths in the Grade 2 Carry Back last summer at Calder. The pair will square off for the second time Sunday at Gulfstream Park under more modest conditions in the $60,000 Sunshine State overnight stakes, a seven-furlong dash restricted to Florida-breds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Life At Ten, who has not started since being pulled up less than halfway through the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, will make her 2011 debut in an $80,100 optional claiming and allowance race Sunday at Gulfstream Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. – First Dude, sixth in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 in his first start for trainer Bob Baffert, will be heavily favored to win the second race of his career in Saturday’s eighth race at Santa Anita, a $56,000 allowance race over 1 1/16 miles.
“I thought we could get him in a spot where we could win a race,” Baffert said. “I’m still trying to figure out his style.”
