HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After watching Sovereignty and River Thames finish first and second, respectively, just a neck apart, in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, it’s only natural for everyone to be clamoring for a rematch later this month in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby. As of Sunday, however, neither camp was ready to commit to the prestigious Kentucky Derby prep just yet.
Flood Zone, the 3 1/4-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, was expected to return to trainer Brad Cox’s stable at Payson Park in Florida this week while his connections map out his next start.
ARCADIA, Calif. – For a trainer who spent Saturday afternoon trekking to the Santa Anita winner’s circle three times after graded stakes and four times overall, both personal bests, Michael McCarthy had a typical morning overseeing his stable on Sunday.
Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, will launch her 4-year-old season from the rail Saturday as part of a field of seven fillies and mares for the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri at Oaklawn Park.
Post positions for the 1 1/16-mile race were drawn Sunday. The race will go as the 10th on an 11-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Central. The approximate post time for the Azeri is 5:25 p.m.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Justique, who won the $150,000 Carousel last weekend at Oaklawn, will likely make her next start in the $650,000 Madison at Keeneland, according to her trainer, Cherie DeVaux.
In the Carousel, Justique closed from last for a half-length win. She covered the six furlongs for fillies and mares in a sharp 1:09.96.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, remains on schedule to make her 4-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri on March 8 at Oaklawn, trainer Kenny McPeek said. She has been prepping for the 1 1/16-mile stakes at Fair Grounds.
“She’s got one more work here and then she’ll come up,” McPeek said Thursday.
Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Thorpedo Anna, who is coming off a win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – First Mission indicated he could be sitting on a significant 5-year-old campaign last weekend, when he was just edged in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park in his first start since August.
First Mission came rolling through the stretch to be part of a three-way photo, with Alexander Helios coming out the winner from between horses and Banishing finishing second along the rail. First Mission was beaten a neck, and all three horses earned Beyer Speed Figures of 102.
Truly Quality is in the midst of a two-month break after he finished sixth of seven as the 11-10 favorite in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 8, a loss that ended a streak of three stakes wins.
“I sent him back to Florida for a break,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said on Thursday.
Thomas said that Truly Quality’s closing style was ineffective in the San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles. The three consecutive stakes wins last summer and fall were at distances ranging from 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles on turf.
Jockey Kazushi Kimura hopes to resume riding in mid-March, two months after sustaining a lower leg injury in a starting gate incident at Santa Anita, according to his agent, Brian Beach.
Kimura underwent a minor surgical procedure to stabilize the injury in late January and has since started physical therapy, Beach said on Friday. Beach said Kimura is scheduled to see a doctor next week for evaluation.
“We’re still shooting for the second or third week of March,” Beach said.
Tamara, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in 2023, will be given an extended break in coming months after sustaining a leg injury in a training accident earlier this year.
Trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday that Tamara’s injury will not require an operation, a reverse from plans announced earlier in February.
“I don’t think she needs anything,” he said. “We’re going to give her some time off.”
