Although Bullard may be nominated to the Santa Anita Derby, trainer Michael McCarthy said it would be “just to keep our options open.” Bullard is more likely to be trained toward the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on April 12 at Keeneland.
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DRF Past Performances
Journalism, early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, worked in company Saturday with Kentucky Derby alumnus Endlessly. Both colts are trained by Michael McCarthy. Endlessly, a turf/synthetic specialist who finished ninth in the 2024 Derby, is training toward a spring comeback on turf.
“Endlessly is a pretty lackluster type work horse, so I needed something to pique his interest,” McCarthy said. “I put Journalism inside, just to get his attention. It was just a solid work, that’s all I was looking for. I don’t need to go fast. We know he’s fast.”
Wed, 03/26/2025 - 10:51
Barnes has slipped in popularity, partly based on a disappointing blinkers-off workout Sunday at Santa Anita. Barnes was outworked by Rodriguez, a stablemate he defeated by more than nine lengths while finishing second in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 1.
The tables turned in the workout. Barnes pressed Rodriguez from the outside, but Barnes could not get past his rival and pulled up soon after the finish while Rodriguez went another furlong. It was a puzzling work by Barnes, five furlongs in 1:00.
After rebounding last season from a disastrous 2022-23 race meet when the turf course was unusable much of the winter, Fair Grounds business held fairly even, with some declines, during the 2024-25 meeting that ended Sunday.
Total handle on the 76-day meet that comprised 682 races and 5,514 betting interests was $248,683,784. Total handle on last season’s 75-day meet that comprised 697 races and 5,986 betting interests was $254,517,850.
Thus, total handle fell 2.2 percent, handle per race held nearly even, and handle per betting interest rose 4.2 percent.
Manny Franco, currently the leading rider at Aqueduct’s winter meet, has picked up the mount on morning-line favorite Sovereignty for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, trainer Bill Mott said Tuesday afternoon.
Franco replaces Sovereignty’s regular rider, Junior Alvarado, who suffered a fractured shoulder blade in a spill Sunday at Gulfstream Park and is expected to miss at least three weeks.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Junior Alvarado suffered a slight fracture of the scapula bone (shoulder blade) in his right shoulder that will likely sideline him for three weeks, his agent, Mike Sellitto, told Daily Racing Form on Monday. Alvarado is the regular rider of Fountain of Youth winner Sovereignty, who is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
Mon, 03/24/2025 - 14:32
Far Bridge, a two-time Grade 1 winner last year, makes his 2025 debut Saturday at Gulfstream in the Grade 3, $215,000 Pan American Stakes.
Far Bridge, trained by Christophe Clement for LSU Stables, kicked off his 2024 campaign with an allowance win on the Florida Derby day card. After three losses in graded stakes, Far Bridge won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct.
His campaign ended with a ninth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The racing week at Santa Anita begins Friday with a carryover of $71,789 in the $2 pick six.
The bet proved too difficult to hit Sunday after upset wins by Wink And a Nod ($93) in the seventh race and Simplexity ($13.80) in the ninth and final race.
There were two horses covered in the pick six in Sunday’s ninth race. Mega Moon, who finished second, would have resulted in a pick six payout had he won the turf sprint.
ARCADIA, Calif. – With his first win as a 4-year-old in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes on Saturday, Atitlan confirmed his affection for Santa Anita’s turf course and showed he can run an extended distance of 1 1/2 miles.
Atitlan won the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita last October for his first stakes win. His next assignment is likely to be at 1 1/4 miles in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes on May 3.
“That seems like good timing,” trainer John Shirreffs said Sunday morning. “I don’t think he has distance limitations.”
It was sunny and brisk at Turfway Park on Saturday as Bless the Broken won the Bourbonette Oaks to punch her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks, but trainer Will Walden will be doing a rain dance on the first Friday in May.
“She’s really, really taken to that,” Walden said. “She ran really good in the slop. She’s always kind of shown an affinity for it. We’re kind of hoping for that, but we’ll run either way. She’s done nothing wrong, and she’s shown up every single time.”