Santa Anita Derby winner California Chrome will have his own training time at Los Alamitos for the next few weeks in the buildup to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3.
Track officials have dedicated 7:10 to 7:30 a.m. for California Chrome’s daily exercise. The decision was reached after a loose horse was on the track at the same time as California Chrome on Saturday morning, causing anxious moments.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert currently has three horses with sufficient points to run in the Kentucky Derby on May 3, and all soon will be traveling from California to Kentucky, where they will join Bayern, who was sent to Churchill Downs on Sunday following his third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Danza was en route to Churchill Downs on Sunday morning after earning a trip to the Kentucky Derby with his victory in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday. He was assigned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102 for his 4 3/4-length win in the Arkansas Derby.
Danza also earned 100 points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility, and becomes the fourth horse his trainer, Todd Pletcher, has on the road to the big dance alongside Constitution, Intense Holiday, and We Miss Artie.
“We’re very fortunate,” Pletcher said Sunday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Close Hatches spent a quiet morning at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, taking advantage of some well-earned grazing time following her powerful, front-running win in the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap on Friday. It was her second graded stakes score in two starts this year, the other being the Grade 2, $200,000 Azeri in her 4-year-old debut March 15. Close Hatches is now targeting the Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park on June 7.
Lemon Drop Dream, who won the Grade 3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on Thursday at Oaklawn, will now head to Churchill Downs with his next race to be determined, Asmussen said Saturday. Lemon Drop Dream caught Alsvid on the wire for a neck win in the Count Fleet, covering six furlongs in 1:09.15 and earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Speedinthruthecity could get a shot at Grade 1 rivals next month following her powerful win in the $100,000 Carousel at Oaklawn Park. She is being considered for the Grade 1, $300,000 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs, trainer Steve Asmussen said on Saturday. The seven-furlong race for fillies and mares is May 3.
The Carousel was one of the nine stakes that made up this year’s Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn, with the $3.3 million series to close Saturday with the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Beholder, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2013, worked seven furlongs in 1:27.60 at Santa Anita on Saturday, moving closer to her 2014 debut.
Trainer Richard Mandella timed Beholder in 1:27.
“It was a nice, easy cruise,” Mandella said. “She galloped out a mile. We’re getting closer.”
Beholder, who was also the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita last November. Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Beholder has won 8 of 12 starts and $3,075,000.
Moreno was scratched from Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap due to a case of shipping fever, according to trainer Eric Guillot, who added that he is now considering running the horse in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic on April 19.
Guillot said Moreno had a 102-degree temperature on Thursday in Arkansas following a flight from Southern California. Guillot said Moreno needed to be treated with antibiotics to reduce the fever, which resulted in him having to scratch from Saturday’s race.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Reload, scratched from the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile on Friday at Keeneland after filling was detected in a tendon, “probably will be all right in time,” trainer Shug McGaughey said Saturday morning.
McGaughey said he wants Dr. Larry Bramlage, who has been out of town, to make a definitive diagnosis.
“We’re waiting for Dr. Bramlage to take a look at it and tell us what we need to do,” said McGaughey. “It’s my guess the horse will be all right, but you don’t know how much time that’ll take.”
OPELPOUSAS, La. – Sittin At the Bar ran her local record to a perfect 4 for 4 on Friday night when she captured the $60,000 Hallowed Dreams Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Afternoon Tango finished a half-length back in second and 6 1/4 lengths in front of Guadalupe High in third. Dawn’s Cherokee was a late scratch in the six-furlong affair for fillies and mares.
