March, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Practical Move, Geaux Rocket Ride Among Workers For Santa Anita Derby

Several prospects targeting the $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 8 worked on Sunday, including Practical Move, Geaux Rocket Ride, and Skinner, the top-three finishers in the Grade II San Felipe here March 4.

Trainer Tim Yakteen clocked Practical Move working five furlongs in :59 with a gallop-out completed in 1:12. Practical Move was officially credited with a five furlong work in :59.20.

“Straightforward drill, looked good,” Yakteen said. “He was just cruising like he always does. It makes my job easier.”

Geaux Rocket Ride, who made his stakes and two-turn debut in the San Felipe (G2), also worked six furlongs for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. He completed the move in 1:12.20.

“The rockets are ready to fire,” Mandella said.

Skinner drilled six furlongs in 1:14.0 for trainer John Shirreffs.

Also working was National Treasure, who was scratched as the morning-line favorite in the San Felipe due to a bruised foot. He worked six furlongs in 1:12.20. Last week, Yakteen said National Treasure would run in either the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby or Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland also on April 8.

Yakteen also worked Reincarnate and Fort Bragg on Sunday. Reincarnate went five furlongs in :59.80. He is ticketed for the Arkansas Derby (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Winner of the Sham (G3) at Santa Anita April 8, Reincarnatewent to Oaklawn last month and was a troubled third in the Rebel (G2) on Feb. 25.

Fort Bragg was entered for Sunday's Sunland Park Derby (G3) but was scratched in favor of the Florida Derby (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park, a race in which he drew post 10 in a field of 12. Fort Bragg is the second choice at 5-1, with Todd Pletcher's champion juvenile male Forte installed at the 4-5 favorite from post 11. Fort Bragg worked five furlongs in :59.40.

In all, there were 282 workers at Santa Anita Sunday.

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Personal Best To Try For Second Successive Graded Win In Orchid

Joseph Allen's homebred filly Personal Best, who became a graded stakes winner in her 4-year-old debut nine weeks ago, returns with a chance to make it two straight in Saturday's $150,000 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 59th running of Orchid for fillies and mares 4 and up scheduled for 1 ½ miles on the grass is the fourth of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.35 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa for 3-year-olds.

Post time is 11:30 a.m. (ET). The Orchid goes as Race 8 (2:56 p.m.) with the Florida Derby (6:40 p.m.) part of a national CNBC broadcast from 6 to 7 p.m.

Personal Best, by Tapit, has been working steadily for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey at Payson Park since rallying for a neck victory in the La Prevoyante (G3) Jan. 28, also going 1 ½ miles on the Gulfstream turf.

“She's done good since then,” McGaughey said. “She worked on the turf [Saturday] morning very well, so we'll see what happens.”

In the La Prevoyante, Personal Best settled in mid-pack before tipping out five wide for a steady run through the stretch to catch Transient, who also returns in the Orchid. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides back from Post 6 in a field of eight.

“I thought she ran a real good race the other day. She relaxed really good going long like that,” McGaughey said. “Irad said when you're going short, he has to put her in the race a little bit and then she gets a little strong. But the other day she relaxed really well and we were pleased with that.”

Personal Best broke her maiden in her fifth try going 1 5/16 miles last fall at Kentucky Downs. She took a short lead into the stretch of the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Oaks, rained off the grass to Gulfstream's Tapeta course, but had to settle for third behind Candy Light and Surprisingly, who came back to win the Endeavour (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

“I think the future's still in front of her,” McGaughey said. “We're looking forward to running her again. We were looking forward to getting her stretched out the other day and she looked good. We've always felt that's what she wanted.”

E Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Transient ended her 4-year-old season running third in the 1 ¼-mile Maple Leaf (G3) on Woodbine's all-weather surface and, after the La Prevoyante, came up a length short when third following a troubled trip in the 1 3/8-mile The Very One (G3) March 4 at Gulfstream.

“She was probably a tad unfortunate last time. She checked at a crucial point and lost ground and then finished up strong after that,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “She ran a really good race. It's going to be another tough race for her, but she's knocking on the door to win one of these Grade 3s so hopefully she can break though.

“She just got beat in the race before,” he added. “She was a bit unfortunate there, too. [Jockey] Tyler [Gaffalione] dropped his stick at the eighth pole. She's had a couple things not go her way and she still shows up. Hopefully this time things go her way.”

Edgard Zayas is named to ride Transient from Post 3.

“Hopefully she can knock through on one of these,” Joseph said. “She's Grade 3-placed multiple times and to get a graded-stakes win with her it would make her very valuable.”

Trainer Christophe Clement entered the pair of German-breds Amazing Grace and Atomic Blonde for their North American debuts. Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd.'s 5-year-old Amazing Grace is a multiple group stakes winner in Germany, including a victory over Atomic Blonde in the 1½-mile T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis (G2) last fall. Clement purchased her for $895,972 out of the Arqana breeding stock sale in Deauville, France last December.

Michael Faust, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Heather Winters' 4-year-old Atomic Blonde owns three career wins including the 1 ¼-mile Premio Verziere Memorial Aldo Cirla Tr Arqana (G3) in Italy one start after her third to Amazing Grace. She fetched $316,225 at the same Deauville sale.

“The numbers say the European fillies that have come to the United States have been so dominant in that category. Christophe was very aware of that,” West Point executive vice president Tom Bellhouse said. “He seemed to feel that anything over 10 furlongs would be ideal for her. This is her first start in American coming up for us, but we're excited. We've had great success over the years in those long-distance turf categories and they're a lot of fun. It's just neat to have horses that run in those types of races.”

Joel Rosario is named on Amazing Grace from Post 5 while Jose Ortiz gets the assignment on Atomic Blonde from outermost Post 8.

Completing the field are Viburnum, winner of the 1 ½-mle Via Borghese on Gulfstream's Tapeta Dec. 17; Miss Yearwood, third in the 1 3/8-mile Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3) two starts back; Transient's stablemate Tamarindo; and Lady Arsinoe.

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Reincarnate Made Morning-Line Favorite For Arkansas Derby; Wet Paint Tabbed Program Favorite For Fantasy

Southern California-based Reincarnate was among 11 horses entered Sunday morning for the $1.25-million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 1 at Oaklawn.

Post positions for the Arkansas Derby and the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies April 1 were drawn Sunday morning in the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle. Reincarnate was installed the 5-2 program favorite for the Arkansas Derby, which is Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby (G1) points race.

The Arkansas Derby will offer 200 points to the top five finishers (100-40-30-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Reincarnate, who is trained by Tim Yakteen, will be returning to Oaklawn after finishing a troubled third in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25. The Rebel was Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race. Red Route One opened his 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish behind unbeaten Arabian Knight in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28 before finishing second in the Rebel. The Southwest was Oaklawn's second Kentucky Derby points race.

Two-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Brad Cox is scheduled to send out Angel of Empire, who returns to Oaklawn after winning the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds in his last start.

Angel of Empire, a son of 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, finished second behind stablemate Victory Formation in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1 at Oaklawn.

Rocket Can won the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 4 and finished second behind champion Forte in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 4. Both 1 1/16-mile races were at Gulfstream Park. Rocket Can is owned by prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher, who is seeking his first victory in the Arkansas Derby, a race he covets the most.

The speedy Two Eagles Rivers exits a sharp entry-level allowance victory at 1 mile Feb. 19 at Oaklawn and has trained sharply for his graded stakes debut. Two Eagles River is trained by Chris Hartman.

The projected Arkansas Derby field from the rail out: Bourbon Bash, Reylu Gutierrez to ride, 15-1 on the morning line; Interlock Empire, David Cabrera, 20-1; Harlocap, Ricardo Santana Jr., 15-1; Two Eagles River, Nik Juarez, 10-1; Airtime, Cristian Torres, 15-1; Angel of Empire, Flavien Prat, 9-2; Rocket Can, Junior Alvarado, 4-1; Reincarnate, John Velazquez, 5-2; King Russell, Rafael Bejarano, 30-1; Red Route One, Tyler Gaffalione, 3-1; and Kolomio, James Graham, 30-1.

Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Wet Paint was made the 8-5 program favorite for the Fantasy, which is Oaklawn's third Kentucky Oaks (G1) points race.

Trained by Brad Cox, Wet Paint has already earned 70 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points following sparkling victories in the Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28 and the Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25. Wet Paint is unbeaten in three career starts on dirt. All three races, including the Martha Washington and Honeybee at Oaklawn, have been on off tracks.

The 1 1/16-mile Fantasy will offer 200 points to the top five finishers (100-40-30-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

The projected 10-horse Fantasy field from the rail out: She's Lookin Lucky, Cristian Torres to ride, 5-2 on the morning line; Grand Love, Tyler Gaffalione, 8-1; Towhead, Isaac Castillo, 10-1; Taxed, Rafael Bejarano, 30-1; Take Charge Briana, Reylu Gutierrez, 20-1; Wet Paint, Flavien Prat, 8-5; Pate, Florent Geroux, 20-1; Royal Spa, Ricardo Santana Jr., 4-1; Olivia Twist, David Cabrera, 20-1; and Condensation, Francisco Arrieta, 10-1.

Post positions for two other stakes races April 1 – $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses and the inaugural $200,000 Hot Springs for 3-year-olds at 1 mile – will be drawn Monday.

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