Dream Maker did nothing to quash his connections’ dream of making the Kentucky Derby during a half-mile timed workout Saturday morning at Fair Grounds.

Breezing for the first time since his impressive 3-year-old debut Feb. 9, Dream Maker, working in the company of another horse, was timed in 47.80 seconds, fastest of 111 Fair Grounds drills at the distance that day.

“I loved the way he galloped out,” said David Carroll, Fair Grounds-based assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “He trains like a good horse – gets over the dirt really nice. He hasn’t taken one step backward.”

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After Bill Mott finally had an opportunity to spend an appreciable amount of time around Hidden Scroll this fall at Payson Park, he phoned his longtime assistant, Kenny McCarthy, about the colt.

“Bill half-jokingly said to me, ‘You said this horse was nice,’ ” recalled McCarthy, who oversaw the colt’s training last summer at Churchill Downs while his Hall of Fame boss was otherwise occupied in New York. “But you didn’t tell me he was this nice.”

Anothertwistafate, the Northern California-based colt with three runaway wins on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields, will race on a dirt surface next out in a one-shot attempt to earn a berth in the Kentucky Derby trainer Blaine Wright said Thursday.

“His next race is going to be on dirt, no matter what,” Wright said. “People are going to say, oh, he doesn’t like dirt. I’m not putting any stock in that. A racehorse is a racehorse.  If he is going to be on the Derby trail, he’s going to have to overcome it.”

Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn Park, Feb. 18, 2019

(10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Super Steed, by Super Saver
Trainer: Larry Jones
Jockey: Terry Thompson
Owner: Michael Pressley and Steed Jackson
Beyer Speed Figure: 87

ARCADIA, Calif. – Just a few minutes after Galilean won the California Cup Derby on Monday here at Santa Anita, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer saw Jeff Lifson, the former TVG personality who for years has worked as the executive vice president for West Point Thoroughbreds, and they congratulated one another on the victory with a colt West Point had purchased at auction 10 months ago and placed with Hollendorfer.

“You guys have been so kind I can’t believe it,” Hollendorfer said. A mischievous grin came across his face. “But I’ll accept more kindness.”

Galilean
Uncle Mo – Fresia, by El Prado
(Bred in California by Bar C Racing Stables ($60,000 Barretts August yearling purchase by Quarter Pole Enterprises; $600,000 Barretts spring juvenile purchase by West Point Thoroughbreds)

WHO’S HOT

Country House, second in the Risen Star on Saturday, and Galilean, who romped in the California Cup Derby on Monday and is now headed for open stakes racing, are the two newcomers to this week’s Derby Watch top 20. Country House is 20-1 on the line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, for the May 4 Kentucky Derby. Galilean is 30-1. War of Will, the Risen Star winner, saw his odds cut from 12-1 last week to 10-1, making him the co-fourth choice with Instagrand.

WHO’S NOT

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Trainer Larry Jones suspected Super Steed would be double-digit odds for the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes on Monday at Oaklawn, but he was not prepared for what he saw on the infield tote board walking up for the race with his staff.

“I said, ‘Man, I don’t believe it,’ ” Jones recalled Tuesday.

Super Steed ended up going off at 62-1 in the Southwest, and won the race with a sweeping, four-wide move on the final turn. He paid $126.60.

In a surprising development, trainer Bob Baffert on Tuesday said there is a very good chance his top two Kentucky Derby prospects, Game Winner and Improbable, will make their 3-year-old debuts against one another in the Grade 2, $500,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 9 at Santa Anita.

“I have a feeling they’ll both be in there,” Baffert said. “It might be Clemson vs. Alabama.”

Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star, 1 1/16 miles, Fair Grounds, Feb. 16, 2019
(50 Derby qualifying points for a win, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)

Winner: War of Will, by War Front
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Owner: Gary Barber
Beyer Speed Figure: 92