HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, emerged from her third-place finish in the Apple Blossom Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn in good order, trainer Ken McPeek said Monday. 

The filly finished 6 1/2 lengths behind winner Letruska and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92. One start prior, Swiss Skydiver was a dominant winner of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita. 

“She’s fine,” McPeek said. “It’s a bit of a head-scratcher. We’re trying to wrap our heads around why she didn’t run well.” 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Things have gone so well for Luis Saez this spring in Kentucky that the star jockey seriously considered sticking around beyond the Kentucky Derby.

Upon further review, however, Saez and his agent, Kiaran McLaughlin, have decided to return to Belmont Park in New York, where the 28-year-old jockey has made his primary base since 2013.

“We did talk about riding the Churchill Downs meet after the Derby, but no, we’re going back to New York,” McLaughlin said. “We do really like the way it’s gone here this month, though.”

Harvest Moon, fourth behind two 2020 champions in her last two starts, will have an easier assignment in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita.

Harvest Moon is unlikely to have many rivals at all in the $200,000 race for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. The race drew eight nominations.

Trainer Jonathan Wong said Keeper Ofthe Stars may be held out of the Santa Margarita in favor of the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares on May 31. Keeper Ofthe Stars won the 2020 Gamely.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Silver State emerged from his win in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap in fine fashion, trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday, as his connections are now tasked with determining the next move for the horse who has won his last five races.

Silver State went over $1 million earnings in the Oaklawn Handicap, for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101.

“He came out of the race great,” Asmussen said Sunday. “Obviously, we’re extremely proud of how he ran yesterday and the winning streak that he has put together.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Fausto Gutierrez had Letruska out grazing on a beautiful Sunday morning at Oaklawn Park, and was enjoying time with the mare who a day earlier added her name to a long list of outstanding winners of the Apple Blossom Handicap.

She also established herself as one of the top members of her division.

Churchill Downs
Weather: Sunny 
Track: Fast 
Temp.: 42

Churchill Downs
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 51  
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, KY. - Mandaloun may have stolen a little thunder from his undefeated stablemate and Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality with an extremely impressive six-furlong workout in 1:11.47 early Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

Rock Your World, the undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3, worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday in advance of a start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1.

Trained by John Sadler, Rock Your World galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80, according to Santa Anita clockers.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Though Crowded Trade put in a sharp workout Saturday morning at Belmont Park, trainer Chad Brown said afterward the horse remains on target for the Preakness on May 15 and he still plans to run Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Highly Motivated in the Kentucky Derby.

Highly Motivated is scheduled to breeze Sunday at Keeneland before vanning over to Churchill Downs on Monday.

“As long as Highly Motivated works well and comes out of it well on Monday, I’m going to ship him over to Churchill,” Brown said Saturday at Belmont Park.

A project to replace the entire cushion of Laurel Park’s one-mile main track will likely take no more than three weeks, officials for the track and its parent company told horsemen during a conference call on Friday afternoon.

Work on the project will occur on a nearly 24-7 basis, the officials said, with daily breaks that will allow horsemen to gallop on the parts of the surface that are not being replaced. Track officials said that they will send daily and weekly reminders to horsemen about the training hours, due to the uncertainty over the work schedule.