ARCADIA, Calif. – The winners of all three major Kentucky Derby prep races run last Saturday all came out of their races well, and all will have their final preps for the May 2 Derby in familiar surroundings on April 4.
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DRF Past Performances
Top 3-year-old males
No changes on the top Fair Grounds-based 3-year-olds from last week, since all has been quiet since the Louisiana Derby Preview card of Feb. 21. War Story, the Risen Star second, was the first horse on these lists who raced Feb. 21 to work back, going an easy half-mile on March 1. International Star is based in Florida, so he’s off this list, so War Story sits atop it. Yockey’s Warrior came out of his meet-best maiden win Feb. 21 in good shape, but he got started too late to make a Fair Grounds stakes, and can’t be considered a Triple Crown horse at this point.
DORTMUND remained unbeaten after five starts with a front-running triumph in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, which solidified his role as favorite for the Santa Anita Derby on April 4. PROSPECT PARK ran well to finish second in the San Felipe; he will benefit from the longer distance of the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby. Those two colts remain on top of the California 3-year-old division.
ARCADIA, Calif .- In his first couple of races, Dortmund wanted to run over horses, he was so headstrong. And, considering how big he is, he might have come close to leaping over them if he wanted. But in his recent races, and through a series of workouts, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Martin Garcia have taught him to relax, even if he’s on the lead, and the results of that labor were on full display Saturday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Friday that the undefeated Khozan is off the Kentucky Derby trail after coming back from a routine gallop at Palm Beach Downs that morning off in his right hind ankle.
"We've sent him to Rood & Riddle. I'm waiting for Dr. [Larry] Bramlage's opinion on Monday," said Pletcher.
Roughly two weeks removed from the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 21, the race is beginning to take shape. Among the horses under consideration for the race are Metaboss, Magic is Believing, Conquest Typhoon, Majestico, Imperia, Bluff, Royal Son, and Pepper Roani.
The Great War, the beaten favorite in the John Battaglia Memorial who bled and ran last in that race, is off the Derby trail and will not run. Wesley Ward, who trains The Great War, said he will not have a Spiral starter.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park will put on one of the most significant programs of its meet next Saturday, with champion Untapable expected to make her 4-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $300,000 Azeri and champions American Pharoah and Take Charge Brandi on schedule to meet in the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes.
The program also will include the Grade 3, $250,000 Razorback Handicap.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The one-week postponement of last Saturday’s Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes due to heavy rain caused trainer Bill Mott to change his plans for Grade 3 winner Dubai Sky, who would have been the favorite had the race gone off as scheduled last weekend.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – El Kabeir appears to hold the same seasoning and class advantages entering Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct as he did entering last month’s Grade 3 Withers Stakes.
He lost the Withers as the 1-2 favorite.
If El Kabeir is to be considered a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender, he will have to bounce back from that loss when he faces nine mostly new faces in the Gotham, which like the Withers is run at 1 1/16 miles over the inner track.