Post Time recorded his first timed workout of the 2025 season on Saturday, running three furlongs in 37 seconds flat at Fair Hill Training Center. The graded stakes winner is nominated for several races in April, but trainer Brittany Russell said that he’s still working his way back.
“He’s not quite ready, and we’re at the stage where we’re going to nominate everywhere,” Russell said. “When I find myself ready to nail down a start, we will.”
Seven 3-year-olds, including Grade 1 winners Chancer McPatrick and East Avenue, were entered Tuesday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
The entire field for the 1 1/8-mile contest, from the rail out and with riders, is River Thames (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Render Judgment (Sheldon Russell), Burnham Square (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Owen Almighty (Jose Ortiz), East Avenue (Luan Machado), Chancer McPatrick (Flavien Prat), and Admiral Dennis (Luis Saez).
ELMONT, N.Y. - Captain Cook, among the favorites for Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, worked a half-mile in 48.22 seconds Tuesday morning over the Belmont Park training track.
Under jockey Manny Franco, Captain Cook went in splits of 12.15 seconds, 23.90, and came home his final quarter in 24.32 over a track rated good. With the Wood four days away, Captain Cook was not asked to gallop out.
“Looked like he was just galloping along,” trainer Rick Dutrow said. ”[Franco] said he’s ready.”
Woodbine’s 2025 stakes schedule, released on Monday, revealed that the Grade 1 Canadian International will return from a hiatus and will be switched to the inner turf along with three Grade 1 stakes while the main course undergoes extensive renovations beginning in late summer.
A field of eight fillies was entered Monday for the Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland Stakes, the opening-day feature on Friday at Keeneland and one of the final major Kentucky Oaks prep races.
From the rail out, the field for the Ashland is Look Forward, La Cara, Supa Speed, Muhimma, Running Away, Take Charge Milady, Amarth, and Admit. They are chasing points toward a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday has an expected field of five, led by the division champion of 2024, plus the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
The small field will affect the number of qualifying points available for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Tirupati, the former claimer who won her first stakes in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita last Saturday, is under consideration for the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes on May 26.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas said on Sunday that he has as many as three candidates for the $300,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf, including the graded stakes winners Mrs. Astor and Rashmi. All three are owned by George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Shea Brennan, a stakes winner against California-breds at Los Alamitos in December, will not start in Saturday’s $125,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
“I had to back off on him,” trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday.
Shea Brennan, who races for owner and breeder Nick Alexander, finished first in the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in January, but was disqualified and placed second for causing interference in the stretch.
ARCADIA, Calif. – For the second consecutive week, Santa Anita has a Friday program with a carryover in the $2 pick six.
The bet proved too difficult on Sunday, with a carryover of $100,818 for Friday confirmed after Divine Rascal ($33.80) won the ninth race on a 10-race program.
Friday’s pick six covers the fifth through 10th races on a 10-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific. The pool of new money may surpass $700,000.
The pick six races on Friday includes three on dirt and three on turf, with fields of 11, 8, 6, 8, 12, and 9 before scratches.
Jockey Samuel Marin won two races on Statesman during the winter at Tampa Bay Downs. Typically, when a horse like this – especially a 3-year-old in spring – graduates to a graded stakes event in another jurisdiction, a jockey change accompanies that move.
Not in this case.
