Two Kentucky Derby preps highlight weekend horse racing
· UPIMarch 6 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby preps in California and Florida and returning 2025 champions keep horse racing rolling along as we turn the clock ahead this weekend.
All's quiet on the international front. Racing continues Friday evening in Dubai with a full, if unremarkable, slate of races, even as owners and trainers decide whether to stick with plans to contest World Cup night March 28 amid the military activity and near-paralysis of transportation.
Hoping for the best, we lead off with ...
The Road to the Roses
The 3-year-olds are back at it this weekend in the $200,000 Grade II San Felipe at Santa Anita and the $400,000 ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby, each 1 1/16 miles and worth 50 points to the winners on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Bob Baffert, who has trained the winner of this race nine times, entered two horses whose combined purchase price was $5.4 million.
The big name is Brant, a Gun Runner colt who cost Amr Zedan $3 million and rewarded him as a 2-year-old with a victory in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity and a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He hasn't run since.
Speedway Stables campaigns $2.4 million purchase Potente. The Into Mischief colt made his first start Jan. 31 and won.
The bargain bin buy in the seven-horse San Felipe field is So Happy, who's 2-for-2 with a win in the Grade II San Vicente. He went for $150,000 at the March 2025 Ocala sale. And then there's Flashy Fritz, winner of one of nine starts. He was claimed out of his last race for $25,000.
The Tampa Bay Derby has so much potential in the nine-horse field, it's almost scary. But many of the nine will have to live up to earlier performances, speed figures and win margins earned against easier rivals to really turn heads.
Further Ado, a Gun runner colt from the Brad Cox string, broke his maiden by 20 lengths at Keeneland in October, and then won the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 29. He has less to prove than the others and rates as 9-5 favorite on the morning line, but a good start at age 3 is crucial.
Other potential stars in the Tampa Bay tilt include Powershift, a Constitution colt trained by Todd Pletcher for Mike Repole, who earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure while finishing second to Emerging Market in his career debut Feb.7.
Canaletto, an Into Mischief colt trained by Chad Brown, won at first asking at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, earning an 89 Beyer.
Talkin, by Good Magic and trained by Danny Gargin, was second behind Napoleon Solo in the Grade 1 Champagne in October but last of 11 in the Grade II Remsen on Dec. 6.
Meanwhile ... Monday at Parx Racing, Red Zone Runner, the odds-on favorite, won the $75,000 City of Brotherly Love Stakes by 15 1/2 lengths, going 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:46.67. The Practical Joke colt, trained by Hugo Padilla, got his second win from five starts.
The path to the Oaks
Super Corredora, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Eclipse Award champ, looks to get back in the win column in Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita.
The Gun Runner filly finished fourth and last in the 1-mile Las Virgenes on Feb. 8 in her 3-year-old bow and now is asked to negotiate an extra sixteenth.
Bank Shot returns from a third-place finish in the Las Virgenes and Baffert has two recent maiden winners, either of whom could do well in this field.
On Monday at Parx Racing, Ivy Girl rallied from last of seven to win the $75,000 Main Line Stakes by a head over Halo Hottie. The odds-on favorite, Law School, finished third.
Ivy Girl, a Maxfield filly trained by Amelia Green, got her second win from five starts.
Classic
Seven are entered for Saturday's $300,000 Grade I Santa Anita Handicap (once known as the Big Cap), with Florida-based invader Just a Touch installed as the 3-2 morning-line pick. He just missed in the Louisiana Stakes on Jan. 17 after a six-month layoff. The 1-2 finishers from the Jan. 31 San Pasqual, Westwood and Getaway Car, also are well thought of by the oddsmaker.
Disco Time was undefeated in five starts, including the St. Louis Derby, before finishing a fading eighth in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 24. The 4-year-old Not This Time colt returns in Saturday's $125,000 Grade III Michelob Ultra Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs against what charitably could be called an easier field. He's the 3-5 favorite.
Distaff
Nitrogen, the 2025 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly, bids for her second win of 2026 in Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Azeri at Oaklawn Park. She captured the Grade III Bayakoa by 2 3/4 lengths Feb. 7 and seems ready to face six rivals.
Dirt mile
Splendora headlines Saturday's $300,000 Grade I B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile for fillies and mares at Santa Anita. The Audible mare won the 2025 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and started 2026 with a victory in the Grad II D. Wayne Lukas Stakes. She has won at 1 mile but that appears to be about her limit.
Sprint
Saturday's $125,000 Big Daddy at Turfway Park has a surprisingly tough field of seven, including Arrest Me Red, Joe Shiesty and G T Five Hundred, to go 6 furlongs on the all-weather course.
Filly & mare sprint
Saffie Joseph Jr. entered five of the nine set for Saturday's $175,000 Grade III Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park, including the 9-5 morning line favorite, R Disaster. Don't miss Sterling Silver, who is in good form for trainer Anthony Margotta Jr.
Filly & mare turf
Destino d'Oro and Whiskey Decision finished first and a close fourth, respectively, in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf in their last start, and they're the favorites in Saturday's $225,000 Grade II Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs.
Time to Dream, victimized by a tough trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, returns as favorite in Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs. Recent Florida-based winners Laigina and Kokomotion also rate on the morning line.
Saturday's $100,000 Allen "Black Cat" Lacombe Memorial for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds has 11 set to go 1 1/16 miles and should be a competitive run.
Turf mile
El Potente and Gas Me Up, the first two finishers in the Grade III Thunder Road on Feb. 3, top the morning line for Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.
It would be a bargain if Almendares goes off at his morning-line 9-2 or Astronomer at his 8-1. They finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 24, beaten less than 2 lengths.
There are no standouts among the five 3-year-old fillies entered for Sunday's $100,000 China Doll at Santa Anita. At a guess, Counterbalance might be on her way up. Himika has the back class, but hasn't won much.
Alpyland, winner of three of his last four starts, is the early pick in Saturday's $125,000 Columbia for 3-year-olds at Tampa Bay Downs.
Turf sprint
Look for Litigation and Rezasrolex in Saturday's $150,000, 5-furong Silks Run at Gulfstream Park.