ARCADIA, Calif. – Fortune smiled on 3-year-old colt Stronghold during this wet winter at Santa Anita. While excessive rain led to racing cancellations, track closures, and interrupted training, Stronghold plowed onward.
The hope, shared by trainer Phil D’Amato and owners Rick and Sharon Waller, was that Stronghold would improve enough to return in spring to Churchill Downs, where he entered training last summer. But before shipping plans are finalized, Stronghold faces one more hurdle.
The Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby will be run Saturday, and though Stronghold is second choice in the program, he is the favorite in another regard – California’s top candidate for the Kentucky Derby. To solidify his position, all that is required from Stronghold on Saturday is the fastest race of his career, against the deepest field he has faced.
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The Santa Anita Derby awards 200 points toward the Kentucky Derby on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.
Eight 3-year-olds entered the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, including program favorite Imagination, a Grade 2 winner ineligible to the Kentucky Derby due to Churchill Downs’ ban of trainer Bob Baffert, who also entered Grade 2 winner Wynstock.
The Santa Anita Derby also attracted stakes-placed Tapalo and Mc Vay, maiden winner Tessuto, stakes winner E J Won the Cup, and Curlin’s Kaos. The field is not the strongest assembled for a Santa Anita Derby, an opinion subject to revision if Stronghold runs as expected.
“If he runs like I hope he runs, I can send him back to Kentucky and he can acclimate there for a couple weeks” before the Derby, D’Amato said.
If he runs like he trains, Stronghold might enter on a two-race streak. He won the Grade 3 Sunland Derby last out with a mere 89 Beyer Speed Figure. The light bulb went on at Sunland, which was his fifth start.
“He got more confidence from that race, he learned a lot,” jockey Antonio Fresu said. “He improved a lot. He’s maturing, he’s growing up, he’s getting stronger.”
It shows in his works under Fresu. Stronghold dusted two modest workmates March 18, and on March 25 inhaled graded stakes winners Gold Phoenix and Motorious. Stronghold worked five furlongs in a blazing 58.40 seconds.
“He’s learning to relax and finish strong,” D’Amato said, acknowledging that Stronghold must continue his upward pattern in the Santa Anita Derby. If he runs well and moves on, there is no doubt about his affinity for Kentucky. Stronghold worked exclusively at Churchill Downs from June through late September and won a one-turn maiden mile over the track in October.
“He got over that track really well, and the day he broke his maiden [he] galloped out tremendously,” D’Amato said. His rider that day, Joe Talamo, told D’Amato Stronghold wanted more ground.
“We’ve gradually been able to do that, and it’s worked out,” the trainer said.
Stronghold was produced by Spectator, a filly D’Amato trained for the Wallers. A Grade 2-winning sprinter, Spectator finished second to Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks.
“Looks-wise, [Stronghold] looks more like a Ghostzapper,” D’Amato said referring to his sire.
In the Santa Anita Derby, Stronghold will not face Baffert’s top 3-year-olds. Muth won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby last week, unbeaten Nysos is sidelined, and Maymun skipped the Santa Anita Derby.
Baffert still has the race favorite. Imagination won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes last month at Santa Anita with a field-high 96 Beyer and will be forwardly placed Saturday under Frankie Dettori. Wynstock, the Los Alamitos Futurity winner over Stronghold who comes off a poor effort in the Grade 3 Rebel at Oaklawn, will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Tapalo returns to dirt after finishing second in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The race was flattered when winner Endlessly subsequently won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks. John Sadler trains Tapalo, who was excluded from the over-subscribed Jeff Ruby. The Santa Anita Derby is a backup.
“I’m encouraged by the way he’s been training,” Sadler said. “He’s right on beat, he hasn’t missed a work. He has the right [speed figure] pattern. He’s never regressed, he hasn’t hit a level yet. Certain horses get better as they go along.”
Umberto Rispoli rides Tapalo, whose runner-up finish in the El Camino Real was his first route, and first start against winners. Three starts back, Tapalo finished a head behind Santa Anita Derby favorite Imagination in a maiden race.
E J Won the Cup enters off a win in the $60,000 Turf Paradise Derby, his second route win. He was actually favored over Nysos in a maiden sprint last fall, but his progress has stalled.
“We’ve always been extremely excited about him,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “Prior to the two wins [maiden and stakes], we were scratching our heads, why is he not finishing better?”
E J Won the Cup is not fast enough on numbers, but should influence the pace under Mike Smith.
“We know he’s in deep water, we know he’s going to be an outsider,” O’Neil said. “But we know he can two-turn, and figure he deserves a chance.”
Post time for the Santa Anita Derby, race 10, is 4:45 p.m. Pacific.
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