Triple Crown | Horse Racing Free Tips

O’Neill Hoping The Great One Can ‘Rebound’ In Santa Anita Derby

Doug O'Neill hopes The Great One rebounds from his disappointing fifth-place finish behind recently sidelined Life Is Good in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 6 when he runs in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby next Saturday, April 3.

Named for NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky, The Great One was coming off a smashing 14-length maiden win prior to the San Felipe, in which he finished almost 17 lengths behind Life Is Good after bumping a rival at the start and going four-wide into the stretch before weakening.

“The Great One is scheduled to work tomorrow and as long as that goes well and he comes out of it in good shape, that's the plan,” said O'Neil, who posted back-to-back Santa Anita Derby victories with eventual Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another in 2012 and Goldencents in 2013.

“Abel (Cedillo) will be back on him and we're excited about getting another chance against these caliber of horses,” O'Neill said. 'We're real happy with The Great One and think he can rebound and run a big race.”

Team O'Neill obviously was delighted with Hot Rod Charlie's dominant triumph in the Louisiana Derby on March 20. The son of Oxbow will train up to the Run for the Roses, which the trainer also won in 2016 with Nyquist, 2020's leading freshman sire.

“He's back here at Santa Anita and looks great,” O'Neill said of Hot Rod Charlie. “We're optimistic about the first Saturday in May with him.”

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

In addition to the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, they are the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the Grade 2 Royal Heroine for fillies and mares four and up at one mile on turf; and the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Also, two Golden State Series races, the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs and the $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs.

In all, the six stakes offer $1,750,000 in purse money.

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Late Triple Crown Noms Due Mar. 29

The late nomination period for all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to compete in the races of the 2021 Triple Crown are due by Monday, Mar. 29 with a $6,000 payment. Late Triple Crown nominations can be made online at www.thetriplecrown.com or by calling the Churchill Downs Racing Office at (502) 638-3825. This year's early Triple Crown nominations, which cost $600 and closed Jan. 23, attracted 326 horses.

This season's Triple Crown begins with the May 1 GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs followed by the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15. The Belmont Stakes, scheduled for June 5, rounds out the series at Belmont Park.

Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through a supplemental nomination payment due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000), and Belmont ($50,000).

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‘He’s Got A Lot To Prove’: Soup And Sandwich On Florida Derby Menu

Soup and Sandwich will be on the menu for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Live Oak Plantation's undefeated homebred is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms, the tradition-rich Triple Crown prep that will headline a 14-race blockbuster card with 10 stakes worth $1.85 million in purses.

Soup and Sandwich enters the Florida Derby with a record of 2-for-2 – like the Casse-trained Helium, who captured the March 6 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) off a pair of victories in two career starts.

“Obviously, he's stepping up in class big time. You just never know until you try,” Casse said. “You just have to go back a few weeks to Helium. Helium was just able to overcome a lot of obstacles because he's a good horse. We feel that Soup and Sandwich is a good horse, but he's got a lot to prove.”

Named by Live Oak Plantation's Charlotte Weber, who is on the Campbell Soup Co.'s board of trustees and is the granddaughter of Campbell Soup founder John Dorrance, Soup and Sandwich graduated at Gulfstream Jan. 28. The son of Into Mischief won the 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race by 7 ¼ lengths under wraps.

“I never expect that out of a first-time starter – that not usually our M.O.,” Casse said. “We just wanted him to run well. I told Mrs. Weber that I expected him to run well, but did I expect that type of performance? Maybe not.”

Soup and Sandwich came back to win by 2 ¾ lengths in a mile-and-40-yard optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 24.

“He passed that test with flying colors,” Casse said. “We wanted him to rate a little bit, and he did. He accelerated when asked. He ran fast enough and there seemed to be more in the tank. You couldn't have asked for him to run better.”

Casse had expected that Soup and Sandwich would be a promising 2-year-olds.

“I had him last spring. We really liked him. We thought he was one of our best 2-year-olds, but he hurt himself jumping out of the gate when he was getting ready to run,” Casse said. “Mrs. Weber is a very patient lady. We sent him home and gave him plenty of time, and that's being rewarded the way he's come back.”

Soup and Sandwich has been training forwardly since his Tampa Bay Downs score.

“Our thoughts are that he's doing better than ever,” Casse said. “He's learned a lot obviously in a short period of time. He's doing well.”

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Late Nominations To 2021 Triple Crown Series Due Monday

The late nomination period for all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to compete in the races of the 2021 Triple Crown are due by Monday with a $6,000 payment.

Late Triple Crown nominations can be made online at www.thetriplecrown.com, or by calling the Churchill Downs Racing Office at (502) 638-3825. Information regarding mailing nomination forms can be found on www.thetriplecrown.com.

The 2021 Triple Crown opens on Saturday, May 1 with the 147th running of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 146th Preakness, its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, the series' 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

This year's early Triple Crown nominations, which cost $600 and closed Jan. 23, attracted 326 horses.

Representatives of the Triple Crown host tracks include:

· Churchill Downs: Vice President of Racing and Racing Secretary Ben Huffman at (502) 638-3820 or Ben.Huffman@KyDerby.com. … Assistant Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator Dan Bork at (502) 638-3806 or Dan.Bork@KyDerby.com. … Racing Operations Manager Kelly Danner at (502) 638-3825 or Kelly.Danner@KyDerby.com.

· Pimlico: Racing Secretary Jillian Sofarelli at (800) 638-1859 or Jillian.Sofarelli@marylandracing.com.

· Belmont Park: Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza at (718) 659-4241 or mpanza@nyrainc.com. … Stakes Coordinator Andrew Byrnes at (718) 659-4217 or abyrnes@nyrainc.com.

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