HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chance It isn’t the only horse trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has on the Kentucky Derby trail at the moment. On Sunday, Joseph worked Ny Traffic and Disc Jockey, after which he said both would run in one of the upcoming Derby preps.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tiz the Law, currently the top rated 3-year-old on Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch, returned to the work tab for the first time in three weeks when breezing an easy half-mile in 50 seconds Monday morning at Palm Meadows with regular rider Manny Franco aboard. The work was the second for Tiz the Law since his convincing victory over Ete Indien in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 1.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As Seen On Tv, second in a four-way scramble for second – third-place overall – behind Ete Indien in the Fountain of Youth, will run in one of the final Derby preps worth 170 points, trainer Kelly Breen said.
“He got a good learning experience, had a couple things go against him that he might not have liked, being down inside and all,” Breen said. “We’re going to pick out one of the 100-point races and move forward.”
Dirt for Cheermeister?
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Maxfield continues to make steady progress in seeking to join the Kentucky Derby chase, although trainer Brendan Walsh keeps wondering – like everyone else – whether he has enough time.
“These next couple of weeks are very important, and we always want to do what’s right by the horse,” Walsh said early Monday, the day after Maxfield turned in his third breeze, a bullet half-mile in 48.40 seconds at the Palm Meadows training center. “He really is doing very well, but we’re just going to have to wait and see how he does before we make any firm decisions.”
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Chance It and Sole Volante are among a multitude of Atlantic Coast shippers expected Saturday for the annual marquee race at Tampa Bay Downs, the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby.
With entries for all Saturday races being drawn Wednesday, at least 10 3-year-olds are expected for the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, which offers 85 qualifying points (50-20-10-5) toward the May 2 Kentucky Derby. Chance It, scratched Saturday from the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, is expected to vie for favoritism with Sole Volante, winner of the Feb. 8 Sam F. Davis at Tampa.
Mr. Monomoy, who won a division of the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds, essentially securing a spot in the Kentucky Derby with the 50 Derby qualifying points he earned there, is out of training and off the Triple Crown trail.
Mr. Monomoy has a relatively minor ankle injury diagnosed after he came back from a routine gallop last week carrying heat in the joint, according to Liz Crow, who, through BSW-Crow Bloodstock serves as Mr. Monomoy’s racing manager for owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Doheny Racing Stable.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. scratched his top 3-year-old prospect Chance It from Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, citing the poor post position as the reason for bypassing the important Kentucky Derby prep with a horse who was among the leading contenders in the 1 1/16-mile fixture. Chance It will now run next Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby.
Crossfirehurricane remained unbeaten after three starts with a half-length win over stablemate Choice of Mine in Friday’s $82,500 Patton Stakes at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland, the first race of the year in the European qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby.
The first two finishers are trained by Joseph O’Brien. Crossfirehurricane, a Kentucky-bred colt by Kitten’s Joy, races for Scott Heider.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Storm the Court, the champion 2-year-old male of 2019 who was fourth in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 9, is likely to start in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 7 at Santa Anita.
Trainer Peter Eurton and the partnership that owns the colt had considered races such as the Rebel Stakes on March 14 at Oaklawn Park, but Eurton said Friday that the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles has appeal.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Spa City, winner of a highly rated maiden race on Feb. 8 at Gulfstream Park, is heading to stakes competition next, with the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7 his target. He had his final work for that race Friday morning here at the Palm Meadows training center, when he went five furlongs in 1:00.85 under exercise rider Rob Massey.
:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Marty McGee
