Flexibility, runner-up to Mohaymen in the Remsen (G2) and Nashua (G2) in his
previous two starts,
earned 10 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points Saturday after an easy 4
3/4-length victory in the $200,000 Jerome (G3) at Aqueduct. Trained by Chad
Brown, the 1-2 favorite covered one mile and 70 yards over a fast track in
1:42.98.
Forever Darling also earned points on Saturday, but to the Kentucky Oaks (G1)
instead of the Derby. The sophomore lass joined the Oaks leaderboard with 10
points after taking her first stakes in the Santa Ynez S. (G2) at Santa Anita
Park. Later on the card, San Onofre also added a first stakes win to his resume
courtesy of the Midnight Lute S. (G3) and
Flamboyant upset the San Gabriel S.
(G2) on the track’s turf course at 46-1.
At Gulfstream Park,
Awesome Speed improved his record to three-for-four with a 1 1/4-length tally in
the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, a one-mile test for three-year-olds. Earlier in the card,
odds-on favorites Awesome Banner and Lucy N Ethel led gate-to-wire to take the
$100,000 Hutcheson (G3) and $100,000 Old Hat (G3), respectively. The
six-furlong dashes were the first graded stakes of the year for newly-turned
three-year-olds.
Turf runners received their turn in the Gulfstream spotlight Saturday as
well, with
Lira remaining unbeaten with a victory in the Ginger Brew and Life Imitates Art
outdueling Isotherm to take the Dania Beach (G3).