McCraken and Classic Empire, two of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 6, appear to be moving in different directions as their next scheduled start, the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, approaches.
McCraken worked five furlongs at Keeneland on Monday, his second drill since returning to training after minor swelling in a front ankle knocked him out of the Tampa Bay Derby earlier this month.
A solid group of stallions with high hopes entered stud in 2013, lending the possibility of some new blood on this year’s Triple Crown trail. So far, the group has delivered. Four stallions have first-crop representatives in the top 20 of the Kentucky Derby point standings, with others knocking on the door.
When Malagacy kicked clear in the stretch of Saturday’s Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, he put himself near the top of the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard for a rising owner who already has close ties to two Derby winners.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Todd Pletcher could be going for a stakes triple for 3-year-olds next month at Oaklawn Park. He said Sunday that Malagacy is a candidate for the track’s Arkansas Derby after winning the Rebel here Saturday.
The Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel was the second of Oaklawn’s three graded preps for the Kentucky Derby that Pletcher has won this meet, starting off with the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest in February with One Liner. The Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby will be run April 15.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Malagacy burst onto the Kentucky Derby trail Saturday at Oaklawn, where he remained undefeated while mastering two turns in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel Stakes. He won by two lengths over 112-1 maiden Sonneteer, while it was a nose back in third to Untrapped.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A handful of potential Florida Derby starters were in action at four different venues in south Florida on Saturday, including Gunnevera, Practical Joke, and Three Rules, the first three finishers two weeks ago in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.
At Gulfstream Park West, Gunnevera turned in a very easy five-furlong breeze in 1:04.40 with regular exercise rider Edgard Zayas aboard. The work was the first for Gunnevera since his impressive 5 3/4-length triumph in the Fountain of Youth.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – El Areeb returned to the work tab in Maryland on Friday, and it looks like he’ll be returning to New York in three weeks for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct, according to trainer Cal Lynch.
“He’s got a couple of more works before we know for sure, but that’s the plan,” Lynch said Friday by phone from Laurel.
The improving 3-year-old Hollywood Handsome will have his first chance at a starring role April 1 in the $1 million Louisiana Derby.
After another strong workout from the colt Friday, trainer Dallas Stewart said he would send Hollywood Handsome out for his stakes debut in two weeks.
“We’re going to run him,” Stewart said. “I think he’s going to be ready and that the [1 1/8-mile] distance is going to be in our favor. We’re going to give him a chance and find out more about him.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s a 90-minute drive – on a good day – from Payson Park to Gulfstream Park. That’s a long road to travel for less than 74 seconds of work, but well worth the trip for trainer Tony Dutrow and his Kentucky Derby prospect Mo Town, who came down the turnpike to breeze here Thursday in preparation for a possible start here April 1 in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby.
Santa Anita has the highest-graded stakes event Saturday with the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita, which features an interesting matchup between Finest City, last year’s champion female sprinter who is stretching out on dirt, and Vale Dori, who is looking for her fourth straight graded stakes victory. But there is also important stakes action at Oaklawn in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel; the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri; and the $250,000 Essex Handicap. The remaining graded event Saturday is the Grade 2, $200,000 Inside Information at Gulfstream.
Rebel Stakes
