How Did He Do That must deal with Southern California shipper Henry Q and an improving Giroovin on Sunday, when he starts as the probable favorite in a competitive renewal of the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.

The race, which will be run over 1 1/16 miles, is the final local stepping-stone to the Grade 3, $600,000 Sunland Derby on March 26.

Sunday’s card has four stakes designed to produce starters for Sunland Derby Day. The $75,000 Island Fashion, for example, is a prep for the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Handicappers have their work cut out for them in the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel on Saturday at Oaklawn Park. And so do the horses in the field of 11.

“It’s a deep group of 3-year-olds,” said trainer Brad Cox, who entered Verifying and Giant Mischief. “It’s probably one of the best preps we’ve had this year, top to bottom.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will saddle Bourbon Bash, said much the same about the 1 1/16-mile race that will award Kentucky Derby points to the first five finishers on a scale of 50-20-15-10-5.

As the calendar turned to February 2022, trainer Kenny McPeek kept answering his phone to find a racing reporter covering the Kentucky Derby Trail on the line.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Disarm and Shopper’s Revenge are both under serious consideration for major Kentucky Derby preps after running in separate allowance races last weekend at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Disarm is a candidate for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 1 at Oaklawn. The son of Gun Runner launched his 3-year-old season Sunday with a runner-up finish in an entry-level allowance at a mile. The race was his first at two turns and his first since August, when he rolled by 6 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight at Saratoga.

The three-time stakes winner One in Vermillion will be a longshot in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 4 at Santa Anita, if he is allowed on the property of the Southern California track.

One in Vermillion is part of trainer Esteban Martinez’s 15-horse stable at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. On Sunday, Santa Anita officials announced that no horses from Turf Paradise are allowed on the grounds after a pony horse at that track tested positive for equine herpesvirus.

Reincarnate

Good Magic – Allanah, by Scat Daddy

Bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm ($775,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables)

WHO’S HOT

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said early this week that reigning divisional champion Forte most likely will be the only one of his eight nominees he’ll enter Saturday for the March 4 Fountain of Youth Stakes while also revealing plans for several more of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

Reincarnate was named after Holy Bull, a Hall of Famer who was the 1994 Horse of the Year. But after losing his first three starts, it seemed Reincarnate was “over-named.” Tom Ryan, racing manager for the colt’s ownership group, was asked if his faith ever wavered.

“Not really, I’ve always had confidence in him,” Ryan said. “He’s a big, stretchy horse that [Bob Baffert] was developing.”

Ryan was not concerned when Baffert started the colt’s career in two turf routes.

“Sometimes you have to use those spots to get where you want to get to,” Ryan said.

$400,000 Lecomte Stakes, Fair Grounds, Feb. 18, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Angel of Empire, by Classic Empire
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
Owner: Albaugh Family Stable
Distance / time: 1 1/8 miles / 1:51.47
Win margin: Three-quarters
Beyer: 89