Grade 1 winner JAYCITO’s (Victory Gallop) status for the April 9 Santa Anita
Derby (G1) was still on hold Friday morning.
“I’m going to have a talk today with (owner) Ahmed Zayat and then we’re going
to decide,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “We have to work over the
weekend. A lot depends on the work whether we stay here or ship (for the Wood
Memorial [G1] at Aqueduct, also on April 9).”
Jaycito, who joined Baffert following his eventful seventh in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile (G1), kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a distant second
to PREMIER PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) in the San Felipe S. (G2).
Baffert also confirmed plans for his exciting three-year-old THE FACTOR (War
Front), an impressive winner of the Rebel S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park in his first
try around two turns.
“The Factor is definite for the Arkansas Derby ([G1] back at Oaklawn on April
16),” the trainer said. “He looks good.”
Meanwhile, likely Santa Anita Derby favorite Premier Pegasus is scheduled to
work at 8 a.m. (PDT) Saturday for Myung Kwon Cho with regular rider Alonso
Quinonez up, while INDIAN WINTER (Indian Charlie) is set to go five furlongs
Monday under new rider Pat Valenzuela for Jerry Hollendorfer.
Besides Premier Pegasus and Indian Winter, others listed as probable for the
Santa Anita Derby, with riding assignments, are ANTHONY’S CROSS (Indian
Charlie), Joel Rosario; BENCH POINTS (Benchmark), Rafael Bejarano; CELESTIC
NIGHT (Vindication), Joe Talamo; COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie), Corey
Nakatani; MR. COMMONS (Artie Schiller), Mike Smith; OFFLEE WILD BOYS (Offlee
Wild), no rider; and SILVER MEDALLION (Badge of Silver), Garrett Gomez.
Trainer Peter Miller has officially removed Comma to the Top from Kentucky
Derby (G1) consideration, citing concerns about the 1 1/4-mile distance for the
speedy gelding.
“The horse is doing good for the Santa Anita Derby,” Miller said. “He breezed
good on Wednesday (going four furlongs in :49 2/5 at Hollywood Park) and came
out of the work good. I’ll work him back on Tuesday.
“But we were never on the (Kentucky) Derby trail, really. The media had it
all ‘Derby this and Derby that.’ I don’t think he’s a mile and a quarter horse.
His strong suit is speed and we’ll be on the lead (in the Santa Anita Derby).
“Unless I felt had a real chance in the Kentucky Derby, I don’t have to go
just for the mint juleps,” Miller said. “I can get them at my local bar.”