1 of 3 | Journalism wins Saturday’s San Felipe. Benoit Photography, courtesy of Santa Anita
March 3 (UPI) — Journalism and Sovereignty confirmed their status as bona fide Kentucky Derby contenders with weekend victories at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, respectively, while Flood Zone added his name onto the leaderboard with a win at Aqueduct.
Locked dominated the Santa Anita Handicap, Mindframe finally got back into action with a win and Beach Bomb posted a breakthrough victory for that shipment of South African horses that landed last year.
Here we come, spinning out of the turn.
The Road to the Roses
The San Felipe
Journalism blew right by pacesetting odds-on favorite Barnes at the sixteenth pole in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade II DK Horse San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and drew off with authority to win by 1 3/4 lengths over that previously undefeated rival.
Journalism, a Curlin colt, let Barnes set the pace, made up the needed ground at the top of the stretch and had no trouble thereafter, running 1 1/16 in 1:42.24. “The trip was perfect. I couldn’t ask anything better,” winning rider Umberto Rispoli said.
“I wouldn’t say I was overly confident,” winning trainer Michael McCarthy added. “But I thought he was doing well enough to make some noise today. It is a little overwhelming to think of where this horse could go.”
Juan Hernandez, who rode Barnes for trainer Bob Baffert, said, “Honestly, we just got beat by a great horse today. This is his first time going two turns and I think he ran great even after Journalism ran past me.”
The Fountain of Youth
Sovereignty came into Saturday’s $415,000 Grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park with a few question marks on his card — he hadn’t raced since winning the Grade III Street Sense in October at Churchill Downs, and that was his first career win in just his third start. As usual, he was far back in the field in the Fountain in a race with an early finish line.
The Godolphin homebred by Into Mischief put all that aside by roaring down the stretch to catch apparent winner River Thames in the final strides and claim victory by a neck. He finished the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.12 in a perfectly timed ride by Junior Alvarado.
“We got one under our belt, and now we get with the team and see where we go,” winning trainer Bill Mott said. “I guess it’s a good thing that we’ve shown that we can run over the track. Naturally, [the Florida Derby] is on the list of things to be considered very strongly.”
The Gotham
Trainer Brad Cox had been a little light on the Derby trail until Flood Zone, at odds of 17-1, emphatically whipped a field heavy on New York-breds in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct.
The Florida-bred colt, by Frosted out of a Curlin mare, broke well under Reylu Gutierrez, but took back during the backstretch run. He engaged the leaders on the turn, battled to the front and drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
Flood Zone was sold to Wathnan Racing, the Amir of Qatar’s racing operation, after scoring his first win Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park and transferred from the Victor Barboza barn to Cox. Gutierrez successfully lobbied to retain the mount.
Case Clay, U.S. adviser to Wathnan, said the team will “get with Brad and see how he comes out of the race and make a decision” about Flood Zone’s next race. The Gotham is the local prep for the $750,000 Grade II Wood Memorial on April 5.
The Road to the Oaks
Maysam took the lead right out of the gate in Sunday’s $100,000 Grade III Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita, showed the way under steady pressure from Supa Speed and held off that one by a nose under the wire.
The Queen’s M G saved ground all the way in Saturday’s $215,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park, moved to the fore in the lane and drew off to win by 2 3/4 lengths from La Cara.
Drexel Hill overcame a stumbling start to win Saturday’s $200,000 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct by 3/4 length over Amarth.
Classic
Even when trailing most of the field down the backstretch run, Locked always looked like a winner in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Santa Anita Handicap. And he was, thanks to a sparkling rally that took him to the lead at the top of the stretch and to victory by 8 1/2 lengths. Express Train and Hit Show filled the trifecta.
A 4-year-old Gun Runner colt, Locked finished 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.71 with Jose Ortiz in the irons for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Turf Mile
Formidable Man rebounded nicely from a trouncing in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf in January with a rail-skimming 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.
Turf
Capture the Flag captured the win with a front-running effort in Saturday’s $215,000 Grade II Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Fort Washington rallied to win Saturday’s $165,000 Grade III Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park,
Mi Bago led all the way to a 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $215,000 Colonel Liam Stakes for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park.
Tom’s Magic won Saturday’s $100,000 Black Gold for 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds.
Filly & Mare Turf
South African import Beach Bomb finally broke through to victory for trainer Graham Motion, leading all the way to score by 1 length over Immensitude in Saturday’s $165,000 Grade III The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
The multiple Group 1 winner in South Africa was part of a shipment sent to New York early in 2024. Relaxation of export regulations from South Africa is expected to lead to a bigger international presence for that country’s horse population.
Vixen won Saturday’s $215,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park.
Special Wan took Saturday’s $165,000 Grade III Honey Fox over the same course.
Liguria won a three-way photo at the end of Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Buena Vista at Santa Anita.
Sprint / Dirt Mile
Mindframe, second in both the Belmont Stakes and the Grade I Haskell in 2024, returned to the track Saturday for the first time since the July 20 Haskell and won the $215,000 Grade II Gulfstream Park Mile by an easy 1 1/4 lengths.
The Constitution colt, trained by Pletcher, finished the 1 mile on a fast track in 1:36.25 with Irad Ortiz Jr. up.
Full Moon Madness won Saturday’s $175,000 Grade III Tom Fool Stakes at Aqueduct, going 6 furlongs.
and Bank Frenzy took Saturday $150,ooo Stymie Stakes at 1 mile at the Big A.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Sunday Girl won Sunday’s $125,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct.
Photo: Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire Jockey Mychel Sanchez will serve a seven-day suspension and pay an additional $1,750 in fines
Photo: Gulfstream Park / Lauren King Sovereignty, dramatic late-running winner of the Fountain of Youth (G2) March 1, is being pointed
Photo: Santa Anita / Benoit Photo Cavalieri and Alpha Bella, who finished one-two in the Grade 3 La Cañada in January at Santa Anita,
Photo: Gonzalo Anteliz Jr. / Eclipse Sportswire The stars will shine Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, and not just in the Grade 3 Tampa Ba
