Santa Anita Derby

Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures's Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), a game second in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita, could make his next start in the Mar. 7 GII San Felipe Stakes or could wait for the Apr. 4 GI Santa Anita Derby if he looks to have earned enough points to make the field for the GI Kentucky Derby without the extra start. "If we could have won [the Robert Lewis], then we could have coasted and wait for the Santa Anita Derby," trainer Jeff...

Live racing returns to Santa Anita with the traditional Dec. 26 opening card of the 48-day Classic meet featuring the GI Malibu Stakes, and continues through the close of the 30-day Hollywood meet June 14. The two meets will feature 81 stakes worth $11.75 million, including the newly named GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes Feb. 7, the GI Santa Anita Handicap Mar. 7, and the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 4. Overnight race purses are slated to increase from the start of last year. "The overall 5% purse increase for...

GI Santa Anita Derby and GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) continued to prep for his upcoming start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 1, working a half-mile bullet in company in :47.0 (1/41) Friday at Santa Anita. Journalism shared the bullet for the distance with his workmate, Touch of Destiny (Midshipman), an group-winning import from Uruguay who has not started in the U.S. Of Journalism, trainer Mike McCarthy said "I thought he worked well. It was just an easy half-mile, a leg stretcher." Journalism most recently was second...

GI Kentucky Derby third-place runner Baeza (McKinzie) returned to the work tab Friday at Santa Anita with an easy four-furlong drill in :53.60 (43/43) for trainer John Shirreffs. He was joined on the tab by fellow 3-year-old Barnes (Into Mischief) who also worked four furlongs (:48.00 {6/43}) for the first time since finishing last of five in the GI Santa Anita Derby April 5 for trainer Bob Baffert. After choosing to skip Saturday's GI Preakness Stakes, Baeza is slated to start next in the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June...

Journalism (Curlin), runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby, will contest the GI Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Saturday, co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners confirmed in a tweet Sunday night. "Journalism has been grand since the Kentucky Derby and [trainer] Michael McCarthy has green-lighted him to head to Pimlico Race Course for the 150th Preakness Stakes," the tweet read. "We look forward to showcasing Journalism's talents in Baltimore in such a coveted American Classic with Umberto Rispoli set to ride." After watching Journalism train Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, McCarthy said, "I thought...

The Southern California-based duo of Rodriguez (Authentic) and Baeza (McKinzie) turned in their final local works before shipping to Churchill Downs for the May 3 GI Kentucky Derby Sunday at Santa Anita. Baeza worked in company with stablemate Atitlan (The Factor), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, for trainer John Shirreffs. Working under jockey Hector Berrios, the GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up was officially credited with a seven-furlong work in 1:28.00 (3/4). Shirreffs clocked the colt in 1:28.20. "Because his morning gallops have been a little on the easy...

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after the final round of 100-point preps. The rankings below are in "likeliest winner" order, and are independent from the "Road to the Derby" points leaderboard that awards starting berths. 1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) O-Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, LaPenta, Robert V., Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-4-0-1, $638,880. Last start: WON...

Journalism (c, 3, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) lived up to his billing and then some. In possibly the most anticipated Derby prep of this year, Journalism proved he was the real deal Saturday in the GI Santa Anita Derby and will go to Louisville as the GI Kentucky Derby favorite. The Santa Anita Derby rewarded points on a scale of 75-37.5-18.75 on the Road to the Derby (reduced due to a smaller field), giving Journalism 122.50 points total and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate at Churchill Downs. In...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's three GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GI Santa Anita Derby, GII Wood Memorial S. & G2 UAE Derby--and Tuesday's postponed GI Toyota Blue Grass S. GI Toyota Blue Grass S. - I'm banking on a big performance from Chancer McPatrick, who should move forward nicely off his runner-up effort while making his sophomore debut in the GIII Tampa Bay Derby. Despite just a field of seven entered, there figures to be plenty of pace (East Avenue sporting first-time blinkers, the rail-drawn...

The final weekend of major preps for both the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Kentucky Oaks got a few extra days tacked on as significant rain around Lexington pushed Keeneland to delay their spring racing features back to Monday and Tuesday next week. While the races will be missed as part of Saturday's action, there is certainly no void as Santa Anita and Aqueduct both offer their final stops on the Road the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/8-mile GI Santa Anita Derby features a small yet mighty field with...

We're on the cusp of the one-month mark to the GI Kentucky Derby and this Saturday marks the most important weekend of nine-furlong preps on the Triple Crown calendar, with significant stakes at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and Aqueduct. Next week the Top 12 expands to the Top 20 as the actual field begins to take shape. 1) CITIZEN BULL (c, Into Mischief-No Joke, by Distorted Humor) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital...

Kentucky Derby contender Journalism (Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) will stand at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud following his racing career, the operation announced Monday evening. In addition, Coolmore partners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith will participate with the colt's current ownership group of Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC and Robert LaPenta. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism ended his juvenile campaign with a win in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December and returned at three with an eye-catching victory in the Mar....