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Classic Bound Sophs Highlight Saturday Worktab

On a brisk spring morning, Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun (Into Mischief) began his serious preparation toward the GI Kentucky Derby with a half-mile breeze in :49.80 under jockey Florent Geroux Saturday. The GII Risen Star S. winner worked outside of stakes winner Australasia through a moderate :25.40 opening quarter-mile fraction. The duo galloped out together through five furlongs in 1:02.60 and completed the work with a six-furlong time of 1:16.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Trained by Brad Cox, Mandaloun was the 6-5 favorite in the Mar. 20 GII Louisiana Derby, but finished a disappointing sixth.

“There really wasn't an excuse in the Louisiana Derby,” Cox said. “I hate to use the cliché of drawing a line through the race, but that is what we are doing. At the half-mile pole, he really didn't continue to put himself into the race and was out of gas. We had high hopes, obviously, that he would run better in that race. We talked it over with the folks from Juddmonte and if he continues to train well, we are going to pursue the Derby.”

Moments before Mandaloun's work, Cox's top GI Longines Kentucky Oaks contender Travel Column (Frosted) breezed a half-mile in :48.60. She began the work with a :24.60 quarter-mile time and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.

Other stars that recorded works Saturday morning at Churchill Downs included 2020 GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), who worked a half-mile in :48 under jockey Robby Albarado and undefeated GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf hero Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire)), who worked a half-mile in :48.60 under Geroux.

On the West Coast, Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) worked four furlongs Saturday morning in :49.40 under Flavien Prat, while Derby-bound GII Rebel S. winner Concert Tour (Street Sense) went six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.80 for Bob Baffert.

“He went the last eighth in :11 and change,” trainer Doug O'Neill said of Hot Rod Charlie. “I'm very happy.”

Of the 145 recorded workouts, including 25 on the training track, 21 were for runners conditioned by O'Neill. Baffert also sent Rebel runner-up Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) four furlongs in a bullet :46.60 as the colt prepares for next Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby. It was the fastest of 67 drills at the distance and almost three seconds quicker than the average time of :49.26

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$551,699 In Jackpot For Saturday’s Mandatory Payout Of Santa Anita Rainbow Pick 6

With a tremendous 12-race card in prospect and the 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlining a total of six stakes on Saturday, there is a mandatory payout and thus the possibility of a 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool of $5 million according to track officials.

Saturday's Rainbow Six will start with race seven, which has an assigned post time of 3:32 p.m. PT. After Friday's program there was a carryover into the Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot of $551,699.

With the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby carded as race eight, it will be leg two in the Rainbow 6 and be broadcast live on NBCSN, with approximate post time set at 4:15 p.m. PT.

In addition to the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, Saturday's blockbuster program will include the Grade 2, $400,000 Sant Anita Oaks, the Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Heroine, the Grade 3, $100,000 Providencia, the $150,000 Evening Jewel, and the $150,000 Echo Eddie.

Entries and complete morning line information for Saturday's races is available atsantaanita.com.

Santa Anita is now open to the General Public on a limited basis. Fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com/open to obtain admission and reserved seating prior to arriving at Santa Anita.

Due to state and local COVID guidelines, there will be no walk-up admission and all attendees must pre-register for proof of reserved seating. All admission as well as food and beverage transactions are required to be contactless, with no cash accepted.

For those not attending in-person, Santa Anita will continue to offer all of its races free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager via several different ADW platforms, including 1ST.com/bet.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Stronach 5 Pays $2,752 To 42 Winning Tickets

There were 42 winning tickets in Friday's Stronach 5 with each returning $2,752.40.

The Stronach 5 featured races from Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields, three turf races, and an industry-low 12-percent takeout. There was $130,129 wagered into the Stronach 5.

The Stronach 5 began with One Fast ($7) winning the eighth race at Gulfstream, going six furlongs in 1:11.07. Santa Anita's third race served as the second leg of the Stronach 5 and Reedley ($21.60), a 5-year-old ridden by Edwin Maldonado, was the upset winner.

Gulfstream's ninth and final race, the third leg of the sequence, went to a game 7-5 favorite in Blue Lou Boyle ($4.80) with Miguel Vasquez in the saddle for trainer Mark Casse. Santa Anita's fourth race, also the fourth leg in the sequence, was won by Ian Glass ($10), a 5-year-old son of Hard Spun winning his fifth career start.

The Stronach 5 concluded with Golden Gate's fourth race and the 6-5 favorite Stormin Galileo ($4.60) winning at a mile on the turf in 1:39.54.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Gulfstream Park 8^th Race: One Fast $7
Leg Two – Santa Anita Park 3rd Race: Reedley $21.60
Leg Three –Gulfstream Park 9^th Race: Blue Lou Boyle $4.80
Leg Four –Santa Anita Park 4^th Race: Ian Glass $10
Leg Five –Golden Gate Fields 4^th Race: Stormin Galileo $4.60

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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Santa Anita Derby Win Would Put Baffert In Tie With Lukas For Most North American Grade 1 Victories

History lies in wait for Bob Baffert should he win Saturday's Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, the West Coast's major steppingstone to the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

A victory by either favorite Medina Spirit or longshot Defunded, a recent maiden sprint winner, would add to the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer's record of nine Santa Anita Derby victories that started with California-bred Cavonnier in 1996 and culminating thus far with Roadster in 2019.

A win would also give Baffert his 219th Grade 1 stakes triumph, tying him with fellow Hall of Fame member D. Wayne Lukas for most Grade 1 victories in the United States and Canada since Jan. 1, 1976, through March 26, 2021.

The winning horse will earn 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, second through fourth 40, 20 and 10, respectively.

Baffert and Medina Spirit's owner, Amr Zedan, obviously have a vested interest in the race, as does private clocker Gary Young, the bloodstock agent who recommended Zedan buy the son of Protonico for the bargain price of $35,000.

To date the colt has earned nearly five times that amount and a victory in Saturday's $750,000 race, offering $450,000 to the winner, would be worth almost 13 times his purchase price.

Young is just back from the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he purchased a first-crop Gun Runner colt for Zedan at $1.7 million, the sale's second-highest price.

A clocker since he was 18 and an agent for more than 30 years, the 59-year-old Young acknowledges Medina Spirit is likely to face speed both inside and outside from his No. seven post position in a field of 10 going a mile and an eighth, including from John Shirreffs trainee Parnelli who adds blinkers, drew post position four and has noted speed rider Edwin Maldonado aboard for the first time, surefire indicators the horse will not be taken back early.

“We wanted our horse to have a target,” Young said. “He's trained really well since his last race (second by eight lengths behind undefeated but sidelined stablemate Life Is Good in the San Felipe Stakes March 6).

“In many ways it might look like he was a well-beaten second but when you consider he entrapped in that race … we're not saying he would have beaten Life Is Good, but I think it was a pretty gallant effort to run second under those conditions.”

It was discovered after the San Felipe that Medina Spirit had suffered a slightly entrapped epiglottis, necessitating minor throat surgery. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, an entrapped epiglottis is “a condition in which the thin membrane lying below the epiglottis moves up and covers the epiglottis. The abnormality may obstruct breathing.”

Added Young: “We respect the competition, but if he's getting his air better this time, it's got to be a plus.

“I think I speak for Bob and Mr. Zedan when I say he's going to be pretty tough in this race.”

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby is race eight of 12 with a 12 noon first post time. It will be broadcast live on NBCSN, with approximate post time 4:15 p.m. Pacific.

The local weather forecast is ideal, sunny skies with a high of 82 degrees.

The field for the 84th running of the race: Roman Centurian, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Dream Shake, Flavien Prat, 7-2; Rock Your World, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1; Parnelli, Edwin Maldonado, 20-1; Back Ring Luck, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Ottothelegend, Mario Gutierrez, 12-1; Medina Spirit, John Velazquez, 5-2; Law Professor, Kent Desormeaux, 10-1; The Great One, Abel Cedillo, 8-1; and Defunded, Mike Smith, 8-1.

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlines six stakes on Saturday, four of them graded and two showcasing California-bred or sired runners.

Purses on Saturday's blockbuster program total $2,196,000, the six stakes alone offering a combined $1,750,000.

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