April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Santa Anita Derby Contenders Have Final Works

Multiple contenders pointed to Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby had their final works Sunday including the top three finishers from last month's GII San Felipe S.

Practical Move (Practical Joke), winner of the San Felipe March 4, drilled five furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Tim Yakteen. Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was second the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in company in :59.4 for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.

“We're all set,” Mandella said following the work.

Skinner (Curlin), who was third in the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in :59.2 seconds under Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza for John Shirreffs.

“He was just cruising,” Espinoza said. “He's ready now.”

Also working Sunday was National Treasure (Quality Road), scratched as the morning-line favorite for the San Felipe, who went six furlongs in 1:12.6.

Japanese import Mandarin Hero (Shanghai Bobby) will work for the first time Monday with Kazushi Kimura in the irons. Mandarin Hero arrived at Santa Anita on Friday and his traveling party indicated he has taken well to his new surroundings.

Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks could have up to a field of eight including Faiza (Girvin) and And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate), the top-two finishers in the GIII Santa Ysabel March 5.

Faiza completed her final preparations on Saturday with a six-furlong work in 1:12.60 for trainer Bob Baffert while And Tell Me Nolies also had her final tune-up on Saturday with a five-furlong work in 1:01.80.

Clearly Unhinged (Bernardini), a front-running 3 1/4-length maiden winner Feb. 5, worked a bullet on Saturday when going five furlongs in :59.60 seconds for the Oaks. It was the fastest of 53 moves at the distance.

Princess Bettina (Will Take Charge) is also targeting the Oaks with an easy half mile move in :49.20 seconds.

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Observations: Theoryofeverything Impressive at Doncaster

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a recap of the day's races, including a strong performance from Theoryofeverything (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

HOW THEY FARED

2.00 Leopardstown, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo, f, 8fT
Tender Kiss (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the first foal out of Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), never looked likely to get involved and finished seventh in a race where it paid to be prominent.

2.45 Doncaster, Novice, £8,000, 3yo, 7f 6yT
Theoryofeverything (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the son of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. heroine Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), could hardly have been more impressive on debut even if the race fell apart with the key rivals seeming to underperform.

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Forte ‘Looks Very Well’ Following Gutsy Florida Derby Win

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence), winner of Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby, will remain in South Florida for now to await his next assignment in the GI Kentucky Derby.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher reported Sunday that the champion 2-year-old colt emerged from his one-length victory over Mage (Good Magic) in good order and left Gulfstream Park early Sunday morning to return to Pletcher's winter base at Palm Beach Downs

“He's good. He shipped back early this morning and he looks very well,” Pletcher said. “We'll kind of leave it open. I think we'll stay here at least a couple of weeks. We'll monitor the weather here, that it doesn't start to get too hot, and kind of monitor what the Louisville forecast looks like and if it kind of becomes springtime and [there's] not a lot of rain in the forecast then we might shift up there for his last couple of works. I think we'll just play it by ear for a little while and see how things are developing.”

Forte had plenty to overcome in the Florida Derby in an effort and under circumstances that Pletcher felt would be an ideal bridge to the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby.

“I think the one thing we learned in the Florida Derby is that he handled the race really well. The best part of the race for him was the last sixteenth of a mile, which gives you confidence that the added distance won't be an issue,” Pletcher said. “He seems to have taken it well. He was on his toes after the race which he normally is, just like he is kind of in the walking ring beforehand.”

“It showed that he still had some good energy left after the race, but we'll learn a lot more about that as we kind of train this week,” he added. “What was impressive yesterday was when he did make the lead, he kind of pricked his ears again which we've seen him do a number of times. It kind of makes you believe there's a little more in the tank there.”

Forte will look to give his trainer his third Kentucky Derby win following Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017.

“The schedule's changed a bit. When I first started coming to Gulfstream, the Florida Derby was sort of a prep for a final prep, and now, with the positioning of it five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, to me, it's kind of become the ideal Derby prep,” he added. “I love the spacing of it, the five weeks until the Kentucky Derby. So it's kind of changed a little bit as we've gone along, but really I like where it's positioned. We liked the schedule that we laid out for him. We liked the Fountain of Youth as his comeback race, which went very smoothly. Then we got a good solid race in the Florida Derby,” Pletcher said. “Part of the reason we chose the Florida Derby over the Blue Grass was the additional week to the Kentucky Derby. I think that spacing is good, hopefully, to have him move forward again.”

OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH's Mage, in just his third career start, earned 40 points for his runner-up finish and now ranks 12th on the Derby points leaderboard.

Trainer Dale Romans indicated Albaugh Family Stables and Castleton Lyons' Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief), third in the Florida Derby, will be Kentucky Derby-bound.

“He looks good,” Romans said Sunday. “We look forward to the Derby. His last couple races have been good and he keeps improving, so we'll have him back in there.”

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‘We’ll Take A Shot’: Dominant Maiden Winner Promiseher America To Stretch Out For Gazelle

Trainer Ray Handal will hope to see impressive maiden winner Promiseher America relish a stretch-out to nine-furlongs in Saturday's $250,000 Gazelle (G3) for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Gazelle, which awards 100-40-30-20-10 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks (G1) to the top-five finishers, is one of four graded events slated for Saturday's card, which co-features the $300,000 Carter Handicap (G1) the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2), a 100-40-30-20-10 qualifier for the Kentucky Derby (G1); and the $200,000 Bay Shore (G3).

Owned by Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom F. McCrocklin, the daughter of American Pharoah was last seen graduating at third asking in a one-turn mile maiden special weight on February 19 over the local going, rallying from fourth-of-5 to post a dominant 6 1/4-length score under Dylan Davis. The effort was awarded a 73 Beyer Speed Figure and came on the heels of a runner-up finish sprinting seven furlongs on January 15.

“We're taking on some deep waters but she breezed great, so all systems go. We'll take a shot and I think she'll do really well with the stretch out,” said Handal. “I think the longer the better for her. You never know until you put them in there, but she certainly has the build and pedigree for it.”

Promiseher America posted her final work for the Gazelle on Saturday, breezing a half-mile in :50.85 over the Belmont Park training track in company with Valentine Racing's Admire My Crown.

“I didn't want to do too much and wanted to keep her to task,” said Handal. “We wanted an endurance type of breeze and she galloped out six [furlongs] in about 1:16. She really conducts herself in a professional manner, and she's the same way in the mornings. She does whatever you need her to do and she's very push-button. She's ready.”

Handal's other stakes hopeful this week is Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing's New York-bred Funny How, who streaks into Friday's $150,000 Distaff Handicap (G3) with five consecutive victories dating to a third-out graduation against open company in September at Belmont at the Big A.

A 4-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, Funny How's latest victory was a 4 1/4-length triumph in the state-bred Broadway for the first stakes score of her career. All five of Funny How's victories have come over the Aqueduct main track at distances from six to seven furlongs. She finished on-the-board in her two other starts when third in a pair of state-bred maiden special weights at Belmont and Saratoga Race Course.

Funny How, bred by Hibiscus Stables, turned in her final work on Friday, covering a half-mile in :49 flat with jockey Katie Davis in the irons.

“Every work has been awesome, and this one was a little quicker than I wanted it,” Handal said, with a laugh. “She galloped out really nicely and we were looking for 49.50, but I don't think we can get her to go any slower. She was almost in a canter. When they do it like that, it's OK to go a little quick. Good horses have a higher cruising speed, and she's a good example of that.”

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