HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Keepmeinmind ran some of the best races of his career last year at Keeneland, and he will be returning to the track for the Grade 2, $800,000 Blue Grass, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Monday. The Kentucky Derby points race is Saturday.

Keepmeinmind is based at Oaklawn, where he also had been under consideration for the Arkansas Derby on April 10. Keepmeinmind worked here Saturday, going five-eighths in 1:00. Diodoro said shortly after the work that a decision had not yet been made on the horse’s next start, but he expected to have plans by Monday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Capo Kane will make his fourth consecutive trip to Aqueduct when he runs in the Wood Memorial. Capo Kane won the Jerome on New Year’s Day, finished third in the Grade 3 Withers, and was sixth in the Grade 3 Gotham.

Trainer Harold Wyner said he wants Capo Kane to be forwardly placed and to help achieve that objective he will add blinkers to the son of Street Sense for the Wood.

“He’s a forwardly placed horse, he needs to be out there and set his own pace and run his race,” Wyner said.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It will be 119 days between starts for Brooklyn Strong when he makes his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, but his trainer, Danny Velazquez, couldn’t be more confident in his gelding’s chances for success.

“In my head, I’m going in for the kill, I’m not even thinking of losing,” Velazquez said by phone from Parx Racing where he is based. “I’m very confident, extremely confident in my horse. I see him doing everything I want him to do.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Parnelli will have new rider and new equipment as he tries to reverse his recent form when he starts as a longshot in the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.

Parnelli worked five furlongs on Monday morning at Santa Anita in a sharp 59.40 seconds under Edwin Maldonado, who will ride Parnelli for the first time in the Santa Anita Derby. Parnelli has been working in blinkers in his recent drills and will race in them for the first time Saturday.

Grade 3, $243,325 Jeff Ruby Steaks, 1 1/8 miles, Turfway Park, March 27, 2021
(100 Derby qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Like the King, by Palace Malice
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
Owner: M Racing Group LLC
Beyer Speed Figure: 86

Grade 1, $770,000 Florida Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Gulfstream Park, March 27, 2021
(100 Derby qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Known Agenda, by Curlin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Owner: St. Elias Stable
Beyer Speed Figure: 94

Like the King ran himself right into the Kentucky Derby with a one-length victory Saturday in the Grade 3, $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Like the King rallied from eighth in a field of 11 3-year-olds to earn the 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points awarded to the Jeff Ruby winner. The chestnut Palace Malice colt is trained by Wesley Ward for the M Racing Group of Mickey Gonzalez.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - When it comes to the Grade 1 Florida Derby, one can never count out trainer Todd Pletcher.

Since Dream Shake finished third in his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 6, the promising 3-year-old colt has spent the last two Saturdays zipping through fast workouts.

On March 20, Dream Shake worked five furlongs in 58.20 seconds, the fastest of 75 recorded works for the morning. On Saturday, Dream Shake worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds, his last major exercise before the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Trainer Peter Eurton timed Dream Shake galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

The Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby will have one of its larger fields in recent years on April 3, and a rare shipper from an out-of-state stable.

As of Friday, there were eight probable runners in Defunded, Dream Shake, Medina Spirit, Ottothelegend, Parnelli, Rock Your World, Roman Centurian, and The Great One. The stakes winners Get Her Number and Rombauer also are being considered.