ARCADIA, Calif. – Flashback, the unbeaten 3-year-old, had a tougher test than expected in a Sunday morning workout at Santa Anita.
A leading contender for Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes, Flashback worked five furlongs in 59 seconds, the fastest of 63 recorded works at the distance. But the circumstances of the stretch run of the workout were not what jockey Julien Leparoux and trainer Bob Baffert envisioned.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Vyjack, West Hills Giant, and Elnaawi – the top three finishers from Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct – all came out of the race in good order and are expected to meet again in the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial here April 6.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Going into the final six-hour session of wagering Sunday, the mutuel field continued as a clear-cut favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The pool reopens at noon Eastern and closes at 6 p.m.
After Saturday wagering, the second of three days for Pool 2, the field – the 24th or “all others” option – was the 3-1 favorite, with Verrazano next at 9-1. They were followed by Orb (11-1), Revolutionary (12-1), Flashback (13-1), and Itsmyluckyday (13-1). The impressive win by Vyjack in the Gotham Stakes on Saturday at Aqueduct lowered his price to 14-1.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The Kentucky Derby stock of both Itsmyluckyday and Shanghai Bobby may have risen even higher on Saturday after Clearly Now, a distant third behind that pair in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, rallied to a 1 3/4-length victory over the 50-1 Singanothersong in the $150,000 Swale Stakes.
Forty Tales, the 4-5 favorite in the seven-furlong Swale, finished a non-threatening fifth in the Grade 3 dash.
General Election powered from well off the pace under jockey Albin Jimenez to win his stakes debut Saturday in the 31st running of the $75,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.
Shipping back to his Kentucky homeland for owner WinStar Farm and trainer Kellyn Gorder after two uninspiring first-level allowance tries at Fair Grounds, General Election returned $28 after finishing the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46.13 over Polytrack. A field of 11 3-year-olds started, with Star Contender being an early scratch for trainer Mark Casse.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - David Wilkenfeld wasn’t alive in the pick six at Aqueduct following Saturday’s Gotham Stakes - he said he didn’t play - but his dreams of the Kentucky Derby were certainly alive and well after the race.
Wilkenfeld, whose stable is named Pick Six Racing, owns Vyjack, who showed a new dimension by rallying from next-to-last in a field of 11 to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes to remain undefeated in four career starts.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Ken McPeek was all smiles here at Gulfstream Park on Saturday morning after sending out a trio of his top 3-year-olds – Java’s War, Frac Daddy, and Pure Fun – to turn in important works in preparation for upcoming stakes opportunities.
“It was a good, solid morning of works for all of them,” said McPeek.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
ARCADIA, Calif.– Goldencents is making a habit of fast workouts – and fast races.
A winner of stakes at Delta Downs and Santa Anita in his last two starts, Goldencents breezed six furlongs in 1:11.60 at Santa Anita on Saturday, preparing for next Saturday’s $300,000 San Felipe Stakes.
The workout was the latest in a sequence of quick works by the colt and left the ever-optimistic trainer Doug O’Neill certain that Goldencents is ready for the San Felipe.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The mutuel field was bet down to clear-cut favoritism after the first full day of wagering in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, leaving all 23 of the separately listed wagering choices at double-digit odds.
After wagering on Friday, the first of three days for Pool 2, the field – the 24th or “all others” option – was the 8-5 favorite, with Verrazano next at 10-1. He was closely followed by Flashback, Itsmyluckyday, and Orb, all at 12-1, and then Revolutionary (13-1), Super Ninety Nine (18-1), and Shanghai Bobby (20-1).
Dry Summer, who remained perfect in two starts at Sunland Park with his win in last weekend’s $120,000 Mine That Bird Derby, emerged from the race in good order and is now being pointed for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 24, said his trainer, Joel Marr.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
