Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Oaklawn Handicap next for Idol ahead of Hollywood Gold Cup
Idol, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, is likely to have a tworace campaign this spring in Arkansas and California.
Trainer Richard Baltas said Friday that Idol will be strongly considered for the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 17 at Oaklawn Park. The $1 million Oaklawn Handicap is run at 1 1/8 miles and would be followed by an appearance in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on May 31 at Santa Anita.
“I think those are the two races,” Baltas said. “Physically, he’s been doing great.”
Owned by Calvin Nguyen, Idol won his first stakes in the Big Cap at 1 1/4 miles, his third victory in six career starts.
The $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup is the second in a threerace series that began with the Big Cap and concludes with the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August. Idol is eligible for a $1 million bonus if he can sweep those three leading races.
Baltas said the Gold Cup has appeal because of Idol’s success at the distance, but that the 12-week gap following the Big Cap is longer than he would prefer. The Oaklawn Handicap is six weeks after the Big Cap.
United to San Luis Rey Stakes
United, the dominant turf marathoner in California in 2020 but a disappointing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland last November, will have his 2021 debut in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf March 20 at Santa Anita.
Trained by Richard Mandella for the LNJ Foxwoods stable of Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth, United will have a campaign geared toward a third appearance in the BC Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. United was second at 51-1 to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the 2019 BC Turf at Santa Anita.
At Keeneland, United was near the front for the first mile and faded to finish 9 3/4 lengths behind Tarnawa.
“He had a bad day at Keeneland and other than that he had a good year,” Mandella said.
United won four stakes on turf in 2020 at distances ranging from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/4 miles. United has worked steadily in recent weeks and was briefly considered for the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf March 6.
This week, training was not held at Santa Anita on Wednesday and Thursday because of wet conditions. Friday, horses were allowed to jog and gallop, with no recorded workouts. Normal service is expected this weekend.
“He’s doing really well,” Mandella said. “We’re backed up a little bit with workouts.”
The $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes is expected to include Masteroffoxhounds and Acclimate, the first two finishers of the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf Feb. 6; and Say the Word, winner of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine in October, but 11th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.
Dream Shake staying home
Dream Shake will have a California-based campaign in advance of a potential start in the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Third in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 6, Dream Shake will start in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, trainer Peter Eurton confirmed Friday.
The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby will be Dream Shake’s third race. He won a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Feb. 7 in his debut. In the San Felipe, Dream Shake was fourth of seven for the first half-mile and was beaten 10 1/4 lengths by Life Is Good, the expected favorite in the Santa Anita Derby.
Eurton said the Santa Anita Derby has more appeal than shipping Dream Shake to another track in coming weeks.
“We’ll consider that as our biggest option,” Eurton said. “We can cut out as many variables as we can. If we run onetwo and come out it good, we can go to the Kentucky Derby.
“To ship and get on a surface we’re not familiar with, and all the intangibles that come with that, you want to see him run his best race.”
– Steve Andersen
Sanenus misses Beholder Mile
Sanenus, who would have been one of the top choices in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on Saturday at Santa Anita, was to scratch from the race after tying up, trainer Michael McCarthy said Friday morning.
Tying up is a condition in which lactic acid builds up and causes extreme discomfort, similar to cramps in humans. McCarthy said he believed not having access to the main track or training track on Wednesday and Thursday mornings – when both were closed owing to inclement weather – exacerbated the situation. The track was back open Friday.
McCarthy said Sanenus was doing better Friday but would not be able to race again for at least three weeks. He was eager to run in the lone Grade 1 on dirt for older females at Santa Anita. The next Grade 1 on this circuit is not until the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar, more than four months away. McCarthy said the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland might be the next target, depending on how Sanenus progresses.
“There’s only one Grade 1 here. The next is at Del Mar,” McCarthy said.
Sanenus, a Chilean import, won the Grade 3 La Canada at Santa Anita in her last start, Jan. 9.
She was the co-third choice, at 4-1, on the Beholder Mile morning line, behind champion Swiss Skydiver and Harvest Moon, both making their first starts of the year.
– Jay Privman