WHO’S HOT

Anneau d’Or, a disappointment since finishing a close second last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has joined the prospective lineup for the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9.

Art Collector, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, figures as a heavy favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Ellis Derby, a 50-20-10-5 qualifier toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby. Other probable starters include Dean Martini, Major Fed, and Shared Sense.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – South Bend, runner-up in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, was purchased privately by a group that includes Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel and is now with trainer Bill Mott. South Bend is under consideration for either the $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile dirt race on Aug. 8, or the $500,000 Saratoga Derby, a 1 3/16-mile race on turf Aug. 15.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Led by Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P., a trio of prospects for next Saturday’s Shared Belief Stakes all worked Saturday at Del Mar during a busy morning that saw 195 horses record drills, including important preps by the older horse Improbable, the terrific 3-year-old sprinter Collusion Illusion, and the older mare Ollie’s Candy.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was another picture-perfect morning in Saratoga on Saturday both in the weather department and for leading 3-year-old Tiz the Law, who put in another solid workout over the main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 8.

There are five stakes at Del Mar from next Friday through Sunday, including races with ramifications for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5 and the Breeders’ Cup Saturday program at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

For the first time, Del Mar is hosting a Kentucky Derby prep, the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at 1 1/16 miles next Saturday. The race is typically run in late August, but was moved forward to the start of the month this year after the Kentucky Derby was postponed from its traditional spot in early May because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Art Collector will use the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9 as his final prep toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, trainer Tommy Drury told Ellis officials early this week.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Caracaro, narrowly defeated by Country Grammer following a stirring stretch duel in the Peter Pan here on Thursday, could be a candidate for the Grade 1 Travers, according to Gustavo Delgado Jr., whose father, Gustavo Delgado, trains the 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tiz the Law closed as a clear-cut favorite when Pool 6 in the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday following the customary three days of betting.

Pool 6 coincided with a second futures pool toward the 2020 Kentucky Oaks, with an Oaks-Derby double future wager also being offered again.

The top three finishers in the Haskell Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth all emerged from the race in good order, and all will make their next start in the  Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, meaning they will come into the Derby following a seven-week layoff.

Authentic narrowly lasted over Ny Traffic in the Haskell, with Dr Post another 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Authentic received a Beyer Speed Figure of 100, a career-best for a colt who has now won four times in five starts, his only loss a second-place finish to Honor A. P. in the Santa Anita Derby.