ARCADIA, Calif. – Lieutenant Dan, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November and recently recognized as the 2021 California-bred horse of the year, has resumed training.
Owner and breeder Nick Alexander said Lieutenant Dan is nearing his first official workout of the year for trainer Steve Miyadi.
“He’s breezed a furlong and a few quarter-miles,” Alexander said Saturday at Santa Anita.
Older horses typically are given workout times at distances of three furlongs or more.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Adare Manor, second by a neck in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks as an odds-on favorite April 9, is under strong consideration for the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 20 at Pimlico.
If she starts in the $250,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, Adare Manor will have her third trainer in as many starts. Sean McCarthy said Sunday that he began training Adare Manor in April, shortly after the filly raced for trainer Tim Yakteen in the Santa Anita Oaks.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Quick workouts have become customary for the undefeated 4-year-old Flightline, who is approaching his 2022 debut in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park on June 11.
On Sunday at Santa Anita, Flightline worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds, much quicker than his clocking of 1:01.20 at the same distance on May 1.
“He’s going through his paces in good shape,” trainer John Sadler said.
Sadler timed Flightine in 59.60 seconds, with a gallop out time of six furlongs in “1:12 and change.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - Three stakes for 3-year-old fillies three time zones apart from Friday through Sunday gave trainer Phil D’Amato and his clients high hopes for the late spring and summer.
On Friday, Desert Dawn finished third at 50-1 in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, a surprise placing for the second-longest shot in a field of 14 who races for H & E Ranch.
On Saturday, Island of Love won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita as the 5-2 fourth choice in a field of six for R Unicorn Stable.
Handle on Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs set a record, according to race charts, as the track and the race returned to normalcy after two years of disruptions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Handle on the Derby, including all multi-race bets that ended in the race, was $168.8 million, up 9.9 percent compared to handle on the race last year and up 5.8 percent over the record set in 2019, according to the charts. (Daily Racing Form does not include bets made in parimutuel future wagers that Churchill holds in the run-up to the Derby.)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As the field turned into the stretch, trainer Chad Brown had every right to believe he was finally going to get his first Kentucky Derby victory late Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, as his Blue Grass winner Zandon loomed up in perfect striking position just behind the favored Epicenter. It was a scenario he had experienced twice before, with Normandy Invasion in 2013 and again with Good Magic five years later, both of whom also appeared poised to win the Derby a quarter-mile from the wire.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 3-year-old filly New Year’s Eve came out of her impressive Friday win in the Edgewood Stakes in good shape, trainer Brendan Walsh said Saturday, but no plans have been made for the filly’s next start.
New Year’s Eve, rallying strongly from the back of the Edgewood field, ran 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:43.35, good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. No 3-year-old filly has earned a higher Beyer Figure on turf this year, though Spendarella hit the mark twice and Cairo Memories in one race.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Matareya, the Grade 2 Eight Belles winner, and Juju’s Map, a second-level allowance winner, both came out of their Friday victories at Churchill Downs in good order, trainer Brad Cox said Saturday morning, and both will be under consideration for the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn Stakes on June 11 at Belmont Park.
Matareya improved her record to 3 for 3 in 2022 with a 2 1/4-length victory over the pacesetting Pretty Birdie in the Eight Belles. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Matareya ran seven furlongs in 1:21.86 and earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fresh off his victory aboard Secret Oath in the Kentucky Oaks, jockey Luis Saez was set on Saturday at Churchill Downs to try and sweep both that race and the Kentucky Derby, a feat that has been accomplished twice in the past 12 years, but officially just once.
