Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Reincarnate starting to look a bit more like his namesake
Reincarnate was named after Holy Bull, a Hall of Famer who was the 1994 Horse of the Year. But after losing his first three starts, it seemed Reincarnate was “over-named.” Tom Ryan, racing manager for the colt’s ownership group, was asked if his faith ever wavered.
“Not really, I’ve always had confidence in him,” Ryan said. “He’s a big, stretchy horse that [Bob Baffert] was developing.”
Ryan was not concerned when Baffert started the colt’s career in two turf routes.
“Sometimes you have to use those spots to get where you want to get to,” Ryan said.
Reincarnate is getting there. He won a maiden race in his fourth start, then scored a highly rated, fast-paced victory in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Jan. 8 at Santa Anita. He is among the leading contenders Saturday in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park for new listed trainer Tim Yakteen. The trainer switch makes Reincarnate eligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Churchill Downs currently bans Baffert trainees from the track, and from earning Derby points.
The colt’s name is based on pedigree, looks, and a famous gray that captured the imagination of one Gavin Murphy. Murphy manages SF Racing, co-owner of Reincarnate. Murphy became a fan of Holy Bull in 1994, when he won four Grade 1s. The second dam of Reincarnate is by Holy Bull.
Ryan said Reincarnate “looks just like Holy Bull.” It was Murphy’s idea to name him Reincarnate, as in “Holy Bull reincarnated.” The blaze-faced, speckled gray Reincarnate will be among the most recognizable runners in the Rebel. If he runs like he has trained at Santa Anita, perhaps Reincarnate will emerge as one of the most recognizable Derby prospects in the country.
Skinner between preps
Skinner, the Grade 1-placed colt who scored a smashing comeback maiden win Feb. 12 at Santa Anita, will stay home for his next start. But which race? The Grade 2 San Felipe is March 4, only three weeks after his comeback. But if he waits for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8, it would be eight weeks between starts and Skinner would require a onetwo finish for sufficient qualifying points to insure a Kentucky Derby berth.
“We’ll have to wait and see if he can make the San Felipe,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “That would be perfect.”
Skinner has resumed training, schooled at the gate since he raced, and could breeze this week pending weather and track condition.
“We’re trying to touch as many bases as we can, and see where we’re at,” Shirreffs said.
Nominations were to close this week for the San Felipe. Potential starters include romping debut sprint winner Geaux Rocket Ride, Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner Practical Move, El Camino Real Derby winner Chase the Chaos, and National Treasure.
–Brad Free
Forte goes solo in Fountain
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said early this week that reigning divisional champion Forte most likely will be the only one of his eight nominees he’ll enter Saturday for the March 4 Fountain of Youth Stakes while also revealing plans for several more of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
Forte, who capped a 4-for-5 juvenile season with Grade 1 victories in the Hopeful, Breeders’ Futurity, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is scheduled to breeze this weekend at Palm Beach Downs in what will be his sixth and final workout toward the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. The Violence colt is owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable.
Meanwhile, Pletcher said Tapit Trice will run in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 11, while the Louisiana Derby on March 25 at Fair Grounds is the target for two of his other top
prospects, Litigate and Kingsbarns. Also, Major Dude goes next in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 25 over Tapeta at Turfway Park.
The Fountain of Youth and Tampa Derby both are 100-point qualifiers (50-20-15-10-5) toward the Kentucky Derby on May 6. The Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby are 200-point races (10040-30-20-10).
Tapit Trice, owned by Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable, was an eight-length winner of an allowance Feb. 4 at Gulfstream and is now 2 for 3.
Litigate, owned by Centennial Farms, won the Sam F. Davis on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs in his last start, earning 20 Kentucky Derby points.
Kingsbarns, owned by Spendthrift Farm, was a 7 3/4-length winner of a Feb. 12 allowance at Tampa. His record is now 2 for 2.
Major Dude, also owned by Spendthrift, began his career with three dirt races, including a winning debut, before switching to turf for his last four races. He won the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy on the Gulfstream turf in his latest start Feb. 4.
– Marty McGee
Asmussen eyeing preps
Disarm and Shopper’s Revenge are both under serious consideration for major Kentucky Derby preps after running in separate allowance races last weekend at Oaklawn Park.
Trainer Steve Asmussen said Disarm is a candidate for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 1 at Oaklawn. The son of Gun Runner launched his 3-year-old season Sunday with a runnerup finish in an entry-level allowance at a mile. The race was his first at two turns and his first since August, when he rolled by 6 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight at Saratoga.
“I was pleased with his effort,” Asmussen said of the race Sunday. “He really needed it. Obviously, I wish he’d won it. He came out of it good.”
Disarm finished four lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Two Eagles River, who earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. Two Eagles River is now being considered for either the Arkansas Derby or the Grade 3, $600,000 Sunland Derby on March 26, according to his trainer, Chris Hartman.
Disarm earned a Beyer of 84 on Sunday. He races for his breeder, Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Shopper’s Revenge is possible for the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 3/16 miles on March 25 at Fair Grounds, Asmussen said.
Shopper’s Revenge ran Saturday, and closed for second in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. It was his first start against winners. Shopper’s Revenge had made his twoturn debut one race earlier, and won a maiden special weight over 5 1/4 lengths on Jan. 14 at Oaklawn.
Shopper’s Revenge is a son of Tapit. His dam, Stopshoppingmaria, earned $3 million on the track, among her wins the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Shopper’s Revenge races for his breeders, Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys Farm.
The Arkansas Derby and Louisiana Derby both offer 100 points to the winner as part of the final round of preps for the Kentucky Derby.
–Mary Rampellini
Once in Vermillion on hold
The three-time stakes winner One in Vermillion will be a longshot in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 4 at Santa Anita, if he is allowed on the property of the Southern California track.
One in Vermillion is part of trainer Esteban Martinez’s 15-horse stable at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. On Sunday, Santa Anita officials announced that no horses from Turf Paradise are allowed on the grounds after a pony horse at that track tested positive for equine herpesvirus.
It was not immediately clear how long the ban will be in place. If the ban is not lifted by early March, One in Vermillion cannot be shipped to California.
“We’re not sure if we can get out,” Martinez said Tuesday. “We still have a little time to get out.”
Owned by Jonathan Kalman, One in Vermillion has won 3 of 4, including his 3-year-old debut in the Riley Allison Derby at a mile on Jan. 29 at Sunland. Bought for $26,000 as a yearling, One in Vermillion has earned $149,620. As a 2-year-old, One in Vermillion won two sprint stakes at Turf Paradise.
Martinez, 54, admits that a start in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is ambitious. The race is a prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 8 and will draw some of the highest-rated 3-year-olds in California.
“I know it will be tough for him, but we want to try,” Martinez said of the San Felipe. “He’s been getting better every time.”
There is a secondary plan, if the shipping ban is not lifted. Martinez said he can start One in Vermillion in the $75,000 Turf Paradise Derby at 1 1/16 miles on March 11 followed by the Grade 3 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles on March 26 at Sunland Park.
–Steve Andersen