Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Itsinthepost eyes third straight
ARCADIA, Calif. – The turf stakes winners Itsinthepost and River Boyne have largely defined trainer Jeff Mullins’s 2018 season, each going unbeaten at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
Itsinthepost has developed into the leading turf distance horse on the circuit with two stakes wins. There may be a third in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf, provided the forecast rain does not prove to be too severe.
“Hopefully, they’re wrong,” Mullins said of the forecasters. “Hopefully, we won’t get rained off.”
Itsinthepost won the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 6 and the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Feb. 3. The $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes will be Itsinthepost’s first start at 1 1/2 miles since a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar last November.
The 3-year-old River Boyne is improving rapidly, having won his stakes debut in the Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf on March 17. The $100,000 Singletary Stakes at a mile on turf on May 5 could be River Boyne’s next start.
Owned by Jed Cohen and his family, River Boyne is unbeaten in three starts at this meeting, having won a maiden race on the Dec. 26 openingday program and an optional claimer in his first two meet starts. Mullins said on Wednesday he is no hurry to run River Boyne before the Singletary.
“He’s had three races already,” he said. “There really isn’t anything for him for a little while.”
There are four graded stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Del Mar and Santa Anita from late August through the fall that are long-term goals for River Boyne, Mullins said.
Saturday’s program includes the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs, the leading race of the meeting for older female sprinters. The list of candidates for the $200,000 Santa Monica is led by the stakes winners Paradise Woods, Selcourt, and Skye Diamonds.
Paradise Woods, a two-time Grade 1 winner in 2017, has not raced since finishing second to Unique Bella in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-olds fillies on Dec. 26. The start of her 2018 season was delayed by a foot injury and an illness. Selcourt and Skye Diamonds were first and third in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes on Feb. 18.
Greyvitos to Lexington
Greyvitos, who underwent knee surgery after winning the Springboard Mile at Remington Park last December, is likely to start in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 14.
Trainer Adam Kitchingman said the $200,000 Lexington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles will be the only start for Greyvitos before a potential appearance in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5.
“If we win the Lexington I think it will get us enough points to get in,” Kitchingman said. ”He’ll have to win it and come out of it right. He’s doing what you want from him.”
Owned by Triple B Farms, Greyvitos has earned 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. The winner of the Lexington Stakes will receive 20 points.
Based at Del Mar, Greyvitos has worked steadily in recent weeks, including six furlongs in 1:14.20 on Tuesday.
“We’ve gone slowly with him and he’s wanted to do more,” Kitchingman said. “He’s eating good and his attitude has been excellent. He’s been moving better than ever in the last week. We are pushing forward. It’s not easy, but I think the horse is telling us that he wants to do it.”
By Malibu Moon, Greyvitos has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $306,345. The colt’s first victory came in his third start and stakes debut – the seven-furlong Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar last November.
Greyvitos was diagnosed with a bone chip in a knee after the Springboard Mile.
Faversham finds good spot
Faversham, the highly regarded 3-year-old brother to the two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, may start favored in a one-mile maiden race for California-breds in Friday’s third race at Santa Anita.
The maiden race is the perfect fit for Faversham, who was eighth in the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles for statebreds on Feb. 19 in his second start.
“This is where he should be,” trainer Art Sherman said on Wednesday morning.
“He wasn’t quite up to that type of race. He needed more schooling and more foundation. He’ll run a lot different this time.”
Faversham, by Lucky Pulpit, was bred by Perry Martin and Steve Coburn, who bred and were the original owners of the immensely popular California Chrome, who was trained by Sherman. Martin and his wife, Denise, own Faversham, who was second at six furlongs in his debut on Jan. 18.
Friday, Faversham will be fitted with blinkers for the first time, and is likely to race as a stalker in a field that includes two 4-year-olds.
“He’s been going really well,” Sherman said. “I’m anxious to run him. He’ll be laying third or fourth at the worst.”
Faversham is part of a field of seven. Wild Lando, a 4-year-old trained by Phil D’Amato, has been second or third in his five career starts, all sprints.