An $850,000 Keeneland September yearling, Newgate returned to the worktab for the first time since the Mar. 3 Big 'Cap, covering five furlongs in a bullet :58.20 (1/77) in the company of GIII Native Diver S. winner Mr Fisk (Arrogate) at Santa Anita. Frankie Dettori, who won his fourth World Cup aboard the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer (Tonalist) in 2022, has the riding assignment in the $12-million feature.

Stablemate Hopkins (Quality Road) went five-eighths of a mile in :58.80 (2/77) and will have Luis Saez aboard for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, a race in which he was beaten just one length into fourth in 2023.

“We had a great day breezing,” trainer Bob Baffert told SF Racing's Tom Ryan, who added, “Two healthy and happy horses. We look forward to getting them to Dubai with Jimmy and Humberto “Beto” to acclimate them to the Meydan surface and surroundings. It's very exciting, and we are very grateful to have the caliber of horse to get invited to participate in such valuable and prestigious events.”

Also turning in a work at Santa Anita was Two Rivers Over (Tamarkuz), who covered five furlongs in 1:00.40 (19/77) and is expected for the G2 Godolphin Mile, an event won by his sire in 2015. Trainer Doug O'Neill has tabbed Edwin Maldonado to ride.

Crupi (Curlin) will attempt to give trainer Todd Pletcher a maiden victory in the World Cup and the 4-year-old, third to National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) when last seen in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Jan. 27, went five furlongs in 1:00.91 (1/7) at Palm Beach Downs Saturday morning. Luis Saez, who guided Crupi to victory in Saratoga allowance company last summer, made the trip up to breeze Crupi and has the mount at Meydan.

Jose D'Angelo breezed his two big-night entries about 10 miles north of Palm Beach Downs at Palm Meadows. Caramel Chip (Midshipman), fourth to Sibelius (Not This Time) in the Feb. 10 Pelican S. at Tampa, was the fastest of 92 workers going a half-mile as he stopped the clock in :47.45. While he stretches out in distance for he Godolphin Mile, his Gulfstream Park Sprint-winning stablemate Run Classic (Runhappy) will take on defending champ Sibelius in the Golden Shaheen. The Tom Durant galloper went in :48.95 (22/92). D'Angelo reports that Cristian Demuro rides Caramel Chip, while Florent Geroux will hop aboard Run Classic.

Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) has been doing the bulk of his training towards the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on the turf, but he turned in his final piece of work over the dirt course at Payson Park. The 8-year-old breezed a half-mile in :49.20 (11/63), with part-owner Lee Einsidler commenting, “He went great and he's doing fantastic.”

A pair of U.S.-trained horses who made the short trip over to Dubai after placing in races on the Saudi Cup program were out over the Meydan main track Saturday morning.

Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), third to Senor Buscador in the G1 Saudi Cup, went a half-mile under the lights in a reported :48.50. He takes on defending champion Isolate (Mark Valeski) in the Godolphin Mile. Bold Journey (Hard Spun) went a similar distance in a reported :48.46 after daybreak for trainer Bill Mott. The New York-bred faces a rematch with Japan's Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in the Golden Shaheen after closing nicely for third to that rival in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Feb. 24.

Pandagate (Arrogate), last-out winner of the Gander S. at Aqueduct works Sunday at Payson Park towards a potential appearance in the G2 UAE Derby, per assistant trainer Miguel Clement.

SAUDI CROWN breezed this Saturday morning, half mile in 48″50 over the Meydan dirt track, handily and comfortably, Kelvin Perez up for trainer @bradcoxracing

SAUDI CROWN ajustó esta mañana del Sábado, 48″50 para la media milla, cómodo y en el freno, con Kelvin Pérez up,… pic.twitter.com/w0SYyzCyLn

— Agentes305 (@agentes305) March 16, 2024

BOLD JOURNEY looking strong this morning, it breezed 4F – 48″46, easily with Kelvin Pérez up. 3rd last time in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, will look to turn tables in its favor next in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at @RacingDubai for trainer Bill Mott

BOLD JOURNEY lució con fuerza… pic.twitter.com/BaCwfY8iUm

— Agentes305 (@agentes305) March 16, 2024

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Dixiana Farms' homebred Hayes Strike (Connect) along with Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn), owned by Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, AWC Stables and Team Stallion Racing Stable, tuned up for expected starts in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. by working 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 in company together.

Hayes Strike comes into the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass off a victory in the Private Terms S. at Laurel March 18.

“I don't run many horses in Maryland,” trainer Kenny McPeek said of Hayes Strike. “His race at Turfway (in the Leonatus Stakes on Jan. 21 in which he finished ninth) … nothing went right. He didn't ship well, and he didn't handle the synthetic surface at all. I just needed to get him back on the dirt and get him back to winning.”

Mendelssohns March has two wins in two starts with victories on the turf at Fair Grounds and on a sloppy dirt track at Oaklawn Park.

McPeek is the most recent of six trainers to have swept the GI Central Bank Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass in the same year. McPeek, who first accomplished the double in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and Harlan's Holiday, is expected to send out Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball's Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the Ashland. Defining Purpose worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.20.

Half-mile workers included Mr. and Mrs. Tsunebumi Yoshihara's Yuugiri (Shackleford) who went in :48.80 in preparation for the GI Madison S. for trainer Rodolphe Brisset; Tom Durant's Run Classic (Runhappy) who worked a half in :47.80 for the GIII Commonwealth S. for trainer Bret Calhoun; and Michael J. Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in :49.80 for the GII Appalachian S. for trainer Horacio De Paz.

Also working Sunday morning was West Coast Stables' Pride of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile), currently 28th on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 17 points, who drilled 6 furlongs in 1:16 on the main track under Ferrin Peterson for trainer Doug O'Neill in preparation for Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Pride of the Nile shipped to Keeneland the middle of last month after a troubled trip in the GIII Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita March 5.

“I was glad to get her,” said Stephanie Murray, who oversees the O'Neill string at Keeneland. “Today was her third work here. The first time, she worked on the (all-weather) training track because of the rain.”

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The two most accomplished runners, Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon, have traded wins on the run up to this race. Midnight Bourbon won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes in January but ended up third in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes four weeks later, that race won by Mandaloun.

Risen Star runner-up Proxy, who also finished second in the Lecomte, will attempt to turn the tables on his rivals. O Besos finished fourth and nearly six lengths behind third place finisher Midnight Bourbon in the Risen Star and may have his work cut out for him, as may both Rightandjust and Starrininmydreams, who finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the race.

Hot Rod Charlie ships in from California off a big effort when beaten a neck and a nose for the win in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and certainly fits with the best in this field. Last but certainly not least, Run Classic steps into stakes competition off a maiden win over the track in his second career start.

It is still early in the season, so much so that horses which have only run a couple of times can win Kentucky Derby prep races like the Louisiana Derby. This was evidenced last weekend when Concert Tour won the Rebel Stakes in only the third start of his career and his first in a two-turn race. Run Classic has already run two turns so that is not a question and in that regard he is one step further along as compared to Concert Tour. Run Classic debuted in mid-January in a sprint and finished second of 10, earning a 94 Equibase Speed Figure in the process.

Stretched out to a mile and one-sixteenth for career start number two four weeks later, on the same day as the Risen Star, Run Classic stalked the pacesetter while third in the early stages, put in a quick burst to get to the front with an eighth of a mile to go, then coasted home to an easy three and one-quarter length win. Although he earned a 90 figure, I feel he could have run faster if need be.

Putting those figures in perspective, likely Louisiana Derby betting favorite Mandaloun earned a 97 figure winning the Risen Star. Being as Run Classic is more lightly raced he may have more improving to do, as compared to Mandaloun and others already proven competitive in similar races. Specifically, making his third career start and second in a route, Run Classic has a lot of potential to leap frog over the more logical contenders and post the upset to win. That is exactly what By My Standards did to post the upset win in this race in 2019 at odds of 22/1 when winning the race after breaking his maiden in a route over the track one race earlier. By My Standards was trained by Bret Calhoun, who trains Run Classic, and that is precisely why I'm choosing Run Classic to post the upset win in the Louisiana Derby.

Hot Rod Charlie entered the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November off a maiden win in a route. Then in the Juvenile and making his second consecutive start in a dirt route, Hot Rod Charlie finished second at odds of 94 to 1, earning a career-best 100 in the process. Returning for his 3-year-old campaign at the end of January, Hot Rod Charlie proved his Breeders' Cup effort to be no fluke as he closed from fourth after stumbling at the start, missing the win by inches in a three horse photo. The 97 figure earned can logically by improved upon in his second start off a layoff so Hot Rod Charlie deserves strong consideration as a contender to win this race.

Mandaloun won the first two races of his career, both sprints, with a 97 figure in the best of the pair. Stretched out to two-turns for the first time in the Lecomte Stakes, Mandaloun was really no threat for wire-to-wire winner Midnight Bourbon but did finish just a head behind runner-up Proxy, perhaps because the winner got an uncontested lead and also because the winner had the experience of running two-turn races previously. Improving off the experience, Mandaloun turned the tables on Midnight Bourbon to win the Risen Star clearly by one and one- half lengths, equaling the 97 figure earned one month earlier. Since the distance of the Louisiana Derby is only one-sixteenth of a mile farther than the Risen Star, I don't see any issue with Mandaloun running his best here. Whether that best effort is good enough to beat the improving Run Classic and Hot Rod Charlie is the reason why this race will be a great one to watch and wager on.

The rest of the field, with their best representative Equibase Speed Figures, is Midnight Bourbon (99), O Besos (94), Proxy (97), Rightandjust (90) and Starrininmydreams (88).

Win Contenders:
Run Classic
Hot Rod Charlie
Mandaloun

Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby – Grade 2
Race14 at Fair Grounds
Saturday, March 20 – Post Time 6:44 PM E.T.
One Mile and Three Sixteenths
Three Year Olds
Purse: $1 Million

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Tom Durant's Run Classic, a 3-year-old son of Runhappy, has the look of a late-bloomer for Calhoun, as he didn't make his career debut until Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds, finishing a good second over 6 furlongs. He built on that effort on the Feb. 16 Risen Star undercard, when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles, pulling clear for a 3 ¼-length win that brought obvious comparisons to By My Standards. The path of the two may be similar, but there are some differences as well.

“We were lucky enough to make this move once before but By My Standards had had a little more seasoning,” Calhoun said. “Unfortunately this horse is a little lighter on seasoning. I think and hope he can make it up with talent and was able to learn enough in those two races to have enough.”

Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards broke his maiden in his fourth career start and was able to learn some lessons along the way. That experience came in handy when he upset the Louisiana Derby at 22-1. Run Classic, who has proven to be a bit more precocious, is still learning on the fly, but he's clearly shown the ability to be a top horse. Calhoun admitted the Louisiana Derby has been on the radar, but he wasn't disappointed when Run Classic drew the rail in his debut and then fell short of reeling in the speedy Blameworthy.

“I think sometimes you get upset when you don't win, but him running second that day from the inside was beneficial moving forward and to maybe get to the Louisiana Derby,” Calhoun said. “The fact he had to overcome some things, face some traffic; I think him getting beat that day was the best thing to happen. It allowed him to run two turns against maidens and get some more seasoning.”

Run Classic put it all together in his first two-turn start, as he settled in third early, tracked the leaders, opened up in midstretch, and drew off convincingly. The win was a culmination of sorts for Calhoun, along with Durant, who paid a hefty $475,000 for Run Classic at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. As a son of grade 1-winning sprinter Runhappy, who never won going two turns, Calhoun new the price tag was a big one. He also knew it could have been a lot more.

“I think physically he looks like that kind of horse (that will go long),” Calhoun said. “Pedigree-wise he was a little bit suspect for distance, and I think that's why he didn't bring $800,000 or more. We did our homework and heavily put all of our faith into the physical aspect of him. When we bought this horse, this is what we bought him for.”

Run Classic will be spotting a lot of experience to some very talented horses, should he start in the Louisiana Derby. The top-3 finishers of the Risen Star—Mandaloun, Proxy, and Midnight Bourbon—are all expected back and are clearly at the top of the local heap, while some talented new shooters will line up as well. Calhoun knows the hurdles, but he also knows the playbook to get it done.

“It's a huge step forward, going two races with maidens to the La. Derby horses, but we think he's up to it,” Calhoun said. “The fact I've done it before, how I had them prepared, it gives us confidence. I still think he was a little green and inexperienced. He ran and won on pure, raw talent. He's a pretty smart horse and I think he'll figure things out pretty quickly, and if he does, and moves forward mentally, I think physically he's there.”

Durant has been in the game for over 20 years and has played it at a high level, while not shying away from spending big in the sales ring. He also got a taste of the Triple Crown Trail in 2017, when Silver Dust ran in a trio of Derby preps at Oaklawn Park for then-trainer Randy Morse but was unable to advance on to the Run for the Roses. Calhoun is hoping Run Classic takes the final step for an owner who has put his time in.

“This is why Tom plays the game,” Calhoun said. “He loves horse racing in general, but he loves running in the top end and that's what he's striving to get to and he's very excited about. He's allowed us to go to the sales and improve the quality of horses he has. He's thrilled right now and hopefully we can keep going.”

As for By My Standards, the son of Goldencents is still going strong and is gearing up for a 5-year-old campaign. He followed up his Louisiana Derby win with an 11th-place finish in Louisville then was given the rest of the year off. The break proved a beneficial one, as By My Standards came back last year to win a trio of grade 2's and was second to champion Improbable in Saratoga's Whitney (G1) in August. He's now 6-for-14 lifetime, with over $1.8 million in earnings, and there's clearly only one thing left to accomplish.

“Our biggest goal this year would be to win a Grade 1 with him and we'll be in search of that,” Calhoun said. “Our whole schedule would be to try and get a grade 1. I think he has the potential to take another step forward this year. He's a horse that's gotten better throughout his career so far. He's remained very sound and physically he's gotten better all the time.”

By My Standards returned to the work tab for the first time February 15, going an easy 3 furlongs in :38.60 at Fair Grounds. As an older horse with plenty of furlongs under him, Calhoun indicated it won't take his stable star long to get ready, and races like Churchill Downs' Alysheba (G2), which By My Standards won last year, and their Stephen Foster (G2), a race he finished second in, could be early season goals this spring and early summer. Regardless, By My Standards gives Calhoun plenty of reasons to think he'll be better than ever this year after what he saw in his first work back.

“We got exactly what we wanted,” Calhoun said. “He went off very slow and picked it up at the end. He'll move to a half-mile this week and he'll progress very quickly.”

“When you give older horses time off, you always hope they come back mentally the same and with the same desire,” Calhoun continued. “That's yet to be determined, but he seems to be mentally and physically very good and we're optimistic we'll have a big year with him.”

Calhoun took over the training of Silver Dust a couple of years ago. The now 6-year-old son of Tapit was last seen finishing 10th in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The veteran is 6-for-31 and has earned $885,677 in a distinguished career, and one that figures to resume soon.

“Silver Dust is pretty much ready to run,” Calhoun said. “I'm not sure where he's going to show up. We're just searching for a race.”

Although Silver Dust has enjoyed a stellar career, Durant certainly hopes that Run Classic puts it all together much more quickly. If he does, the Road to the Kentucky Derby might come calling.

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When Alluring Lady (Runhappy) won a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct on Jan. 24, the filly's victory kicked off a torrid streak for her sire. Over a 25-day period, she was one of eight Runhappys to win a race, a list that includes his first stakes winner, Gander S. winner Nicky The Vest.

The Aqueduct winner came just 14 days before Jim McIngvale won the biggest bet of his life, cashing for $3.2 million after betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover the spread in the Super Bowl. On Thursday, Whoopi Goldberg, on her show The View, suggested that McIngvale be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his on-going efforts to provide, food, heat and shelter for residents of Houston that have been hit hard by the vicious winter storm.

“We have an obligation and a responsibility to help the people because they have helped us so much,” said McIngvale, who has provided shelter for hundreds of people at his Houston furniture store.

Runhappy's sudden success would have been hard to predict back in the early fall. McIngvale was offering a $100,000 bonus to any offspring of Runhappy that won an open maiden race at Saratoga, the summer meet at Del Mar or Kentucky Downs. Not only did the sire fail to produce a winner at any of those three meets, but his progeny was struggling throughout the country. Through September, he had produced just two winners.

“I certainly never gave up on him,” McIngvale said. “I did that 2-year-old bonus that created a lot of hype and then my sister-in-law reminded me that the great Runhappy didn't win his first race until December of his 2-year old year. I made a boneheaded mistake promoting him like I did when his first crop was just two.”

What McIngvale didn't know at the time was that the Runhappys would turn out to be late developers that prefer going a distance, a surprise since the sire was the 2015 Eclipse Award winning sprinter.

“The people from Claiborne kept telling me that the great Bull Hancock always said you can't judge a stallion until their first crop has gotten through their whole 4-year-old year,” he said. “I believe in the Claiborne philosophy. Certainly, his 3-year-olds are, so far, doing very well. Win, lose or draw, I'm always pleased with Runhappy, but right now he is on a roll.”

The streak has vaulted Runhappy to the number three spot in earnings on the TDN's year-to-date second crop sire list, where he leads by winners with nine.

Among the recent winners, Nicky the Vest could turn out to be the best. A New York-bred owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Jonathan Thomas, he kicked off his career with a maiden win in December before romping by 11 3/4 lengths in the Gander. His connections have said they will look for a traditional prep for the GI Kentucky Derby for his next start.

“I am very excited about Nicky the Vest,” McIngvale said.  “He's got great connections behind him and they absolutely know what they're doing. He is exciting and so is the horse (Run Classic) that won other day at Fair Grounds. There are a lot of exciting Runhappys out there.”

McIngvale owns several Runhappys, but has had little success with them. He said that should change later on this year.

“We have a lot of quality 2-year-olds by Runhappy,” he said.  “With our 3-year-olds, a couple of them have had some nagging injuries and are still coming around. We're really optimistic about the 2-year-olds. We've got some nice ones that are fast.”

Before the streak began, Runhappy's stud fee for this year was cut from $25,000 to $10,000. Had they had more time to make a decision, that may not have happened. But McIngvale said he is fine with the new fee.

“I am a value guy,” McIngvale said. “Cutting the stud fee makes Runhappy the best value in the stallion book, especially considering what he has done recently. He should have a good year. We're in this for the long term and not just for one season.”

While the new stud fee may cost McIngvale some money, he's in a good position to absorb some of the loss. When he bets, he bets a lot. Just prior to the Super Bowl, McIngvale flew to Colorado, where sports betting is legal, and bet $3.46 million on the Bucs after logging on to a DraftKings mobile betting app. He got Tampa Bay and Tom Brady at +3.5 points. With Tampa crushing Kansas City, the outcome of his bet was never in serious doubt.

“There wasn't a lot of tension in that game so I didn't have to sweat it out or throw anything at the television,” he said.

McIngvale often links his large wagers to promotions at his stores, Gallery Furniture. But for now, he's more focused on helping out a community in need. He said he decided to open his stores up to the public after driving down a Houston street and witnessing paramedics deal with a homeless person who had apparently died of exposure.

“We hope to be back to normalcy,” he said. “But until then, we're here for Houston because tough times never last for us Texans. Tough people do. And we're tough Texans.”

He has also been busy putting together a new ad campaign for Runhappy, which debuted this week. McIngvale is still quite the promoter and this time he has something to promote.

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4th-FG, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, post time: 2.29 p.m. ET

A number of freshly minted sophomores who were pricey sales horses kick off their careers in this six-panel maiden, led by Tom Durant’s RUN CLASSIC (Runhappy), a $475,000 OBS purchase  (:20 3/5) and the highest-priced juvenile to sell by his sire. Trainer Bret Calhoun sends him to post, where he will have to face former $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling Constituency (Candy Ride {Arg}). The CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm runner, who is conditioned by Dallas Stewart, is out of stakes-placed Zermatt (Tiznow) from the family of Breeders’ Cup champ and MGISW Rushing Fall (More Than Ready). They’ll both have to get by Susan Moulton’s Gunner Paul (Exaggerator), a $150,000 OBS buy (:10 2/5), whose year older half-sister, Merneith (American Pharoah), ended 2020 with a listed stakes win at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup Saturday before a third in the GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita. Gunner Paul hails from the barn of Wayne Catalano. On the also-eligible list is OXO Equine’s Koolhaus (Nyquist), a $600,000 Keeneland November weanling whose dam is a half-sister to champion Lady Eli (Divine Park) and MGSW Bizzy Caroline (Afleet Alex). He’s one of two Brad Cox entrants in the field. TJCIS PPs

OSCAR PERFORMANCE HALF-BROTHER DEBUTS

4th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, post time: 1:10 p.m. ET

PERFORMING ARTS (Dansili {GB}), a half-brother to four-time Grade I winner and promising young sire Oscar Performance (Kitten’s Joy), makes his debut for trainer Brian Lynch. The Amerman homebred is also a half to millionaire Oscar Nominated (Kitten’s Joy). Jose Ortiz is booked to ride. Courageously (Quality Road), a $625,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by John Oxley, showed speed and reported home third behind impressive next out Dania Beach S. hero Kentucky Pharoah (American Pharoah) in his debut over course and distance Dec. 19. Trainer Mark Casse adds Lasix this time. Alexander Valley (Medaglia d’Oro), the second-most expensive horse to switch hands when bringing $2.15 million from Godolphin at the 2019 KEESEP sale, switches to grass following a well-beaten sixth on debut for Bill Mott Dec. 12. He is the first foal out of GISW Tara’s Tango (Unbridled’s Song). TJCIS PPs

SOPHOMORES SLUG IT OUT IN TWO-TURN ALLOWANCE

8th-Fair Grounds, $55K, Alw/Opt. Clm., 3yo, 1 1/16m, post time: 4:25 ET

About 2 1/2 hours prior to the running of the GIII Lecomte S., a field of 10 3-year-olds take in this allowance test that could toss up a starter or two for races like the GII Risen Star S. and GII Louisiana Derby over the next couple of months. MANOR HOUSE (Upstart) was one of two in the field whose connections toyed with the idea of the Lecomte before setting for this obviously softer spot. The Florida-bred has one previous start to his credit, a 12 1/4-length, gate-to-wire romp going Laurel’s one-turn mile Dec. 12, good for a 76 Beyer Speed Figure. The Newtown Anner colorbearer looks to have held his form with a pair of strong local breezes on display. Angkor (Anchor Down) was a well-backed graduate first time out, scoring by four lengths at Churchill Nov. 1, and got valuable two-turn experience when missing by a dirty nostril in Louisville Nov. 22. Gagetown (Exaggerator), a two-length debut winner sprinting at Churchill in November, stretches out off a solid runner-up effort behind the talented Quick Tempo (Tapizar) in the Dec. 19 Sugar Bowl S., while Beep Beep (Tapizar), who was also cross-entered in the Lecomte, tries a distance of ground, having raced away to a 3 1/2-length victory on his seven-furlong Churchill debut Nov. 29. TJCIS PPs

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