ARCADIA, Calif. - A certain Saturday at the start of May was foremost on Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s mind Sunday morning, a day after an attractive 1-2 finish by stablemates Life Is Good and Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.
“They’ve got four months to improve,” Baffert said.
Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes, one mile, Santa Anita, Jan. 2, 2021
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Life Is Good, by Into Mischief
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Mike Smith
Owner: CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm
Beyer Speed Figure: 101
Listed, $145,500 Jerome Stakes, one mile, Aqueduct, Jan. 1, 2021
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Capo Kane, by Street Sense
Trainer: Harold Wyner
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Owner: Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto
Beyer Speed Figure: 84
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Before Ny Traffic became a staple in Kentucky Derby prep races for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. last year, he was a nondescript New York-bred running at Parx Racing for trainer Harold Wyner.
Wyner, who bought Ny Traffic for $27,000, advised owners John Fanelli and Leonard Liberto to send the horse to Florida and was glad he did after COVID-19 hit, shutting down racing operations at Parx and New York beginning in March.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When the rains came just prior to the Cigar Mile last month at Aqueduct, trainer Kelly Breen called an audible and sent Firenze Fire down to South Florida instead, where he ran a close second in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. And with a forecast for rain once again in New York this week, Breen chose to take a similar path with his Grade 3-winning 3-year-old prospect Pickin’ Time, who will skip Friday’s Jerome at Aqueduct to face nine rivals, including likely favorite Mutasaabeq, the following afternoon in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park.
Jackie’s Warrior, who was on track to be 2-year-old champion of 2020 before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, had his first post-Breeders’ Cup timed workout when he went a half-mile in 52.60 seconds Tuesday at Fair Grounds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The trend the past couple of years with California-based preps for the Kentucky Derby has been for lightly raced, late-developing types to emerge, and that could continue this year during the Santa Anita meeting that begins Saturday.
Listed, $200,000 Remington Springboard Mile, one mile, Remington Park, Dec. 18, 2020
(10 Derby qualifying points available for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Senor Buscador, by Mineshaft
Trainer: Todd Fincher
Jockey: Luis Quinonez
Owner: Joe Peacock Jr.
Beyer Speed Figure: 93
Grade 2, $200,500 Los Alamitos Futurity, 1 1/16 miles, Los Alamitos, Dec. 19, 2020
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)
Winner: Spielberg, by Union Rags
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Owners: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC, and Robert Masterson
Beyer Speed Figure: 81
Outadore and Cowan will attempt to hit pay dirt Friday night when both Breeders’ Cup runners switch to the main track for the $200,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
And, the dirt offers more than just a sizable paycheck. The first four finishers in the Springboard Mile will earn Kentucky Derby eligibility points on a sliding scale of 10-4-2-1.
