Triple Crown Trail: Derby tickets stamped

Further Ado lives up to hype

WOOD MEMORIAL

Pin Oak Stud’s Albus has improved in every one of his career starts and continued that trajectory in his stakes debut under a terrific ride by Jaime Torres to post a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s 101st running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trainer Riley Mott now has two potential entrants for Pin Oak Stud in anticipation of his first Kentucky Derby experience as head trainer, as Albus joins Virginia Derby-winner Incredibolt on the list of potential starters.

Albus paid $25.78 to win. With the second- and third-place finishers off at 38-1 and 28-1, respectively, the 50-cent trifecta was good for $2,309.55.

BLUE GRASS STAKES

Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado, who scored his maiden victory at Keeneland by 20 lengths last October, was the 4-5 favorite in Saturday’s $1,250,000 Toyota Blue Gass (G1) and won the race over six rivals by 11 lengths. The performance enhanced Further Ado’s credentials for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and gave trainer Brad Cox his third likely starter for the race, joining Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa winner Commandment and Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Fulleffort.

With the Toyota Blue Grass victory, Further Ado earned 100 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard for a total of 135 points and guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the 152nd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve to be run May 2 at Churchill Downs.

SANTA ANITA DERBY

So Happy and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith pulled away late from favorite Potente to win Saturday’s Grade I, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park and punch their ticket to the Kentucky Derby.

Trained by Mark Glatt, So Happy (7-1) prevailed by 2 ¾ lengths over Potente (6-5), who was passed by the winner at the top of the stretch after racing on the pace. For Glatt, this was his first time winning the Santa Anita Derby. It was Smith’s fifth victory in Santa Anita’s marquee race for 3-year-olds.

KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS LEADERS

RANK	HORSE	OWNER	TRAINER	POINTS
1	Commandment	Wathnan Racing	Brad Cox	150
2	Further Ado	Spendthrift Farm LLC	Brad Cox	135
3	Renegade	Robert & Lawana L. Row & Repole Stable (Mike Repole)	Todd A. Pletcher	125
4	So Happy	Norman Stables LLC & Saints or Sinners	Mark Glatt	115
5	Fulleffort	St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing	Brad Cox	110
6	The Puma	OGMA Investments LLC, JR Ranch and High Step Racing LLC	Gustavo Delgado	106
7	Emerging Market	Klaravich Stables Inc.	Chad Brown	100
8	Silent Tactic	John C. Oxley	Mark E. Casse	100
9	Potente	Speedway Stables LLC	Bob Baffert	100
10	Albus	Pin Oak Stud LLC	Riley Mott	100
11	Pavlovian	Reddam Racing, LLC	Doug O’Neill	70
12	Right to Party	Chester Broman, Sr.	Kenneth G. McPeek	65
13	Incredibolt	Pin Oak Stud LLC	Riley Mott	60
14	Golden Tempo	Phipps Stable (Daisy Phipps Pulito) & St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola)	Cherie DeVaux	60
15	Ottinho	Three Chimneys Farm and John Ennis	Chad Brown	56
16	Class President	WinStar Farm LLC, First Go Racing and CHC, Inc.	Todd A. Pletcher	50
	Iron Honor	St. Elias Stable, Lawrence, William H. and Glassman Racing	Chad Brown	50
	Stark Contrast	Amerman Racing, LLC	Michael McCarthy	50
	Chief Wallabee	Michael Ball and Katherine Ball	Bill Mott	50

KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS RACES REPLAYS

(Click on each line to see the replay)

• Smarty Jones S. – Strategic Risk
• Jerome S. – My World
• Lecomte S. – Golden Tempo
• Southwest S. – Silent Tactic
• Holy Bull S. – Nearly
• Robert B. Lewis S. – Plutarch
• Withers S. – Talk to Me Jimmy
• Sam F. Davis S. – Renegade
• UAE 2000 Guineas – Six Speed
• Risen Star S. – Paladin
• John Battaglia Memorial S. – Great White
• Sunland Derby – Pavlovian
• Rebel S. – Class President
• Fountain of Youth S. – Commandment
• Gotham S. – Iron Honor
• San Felipe S. – Potente
• Tampa Bay Derby – The Puma
• Louisiana Derby – Emerging Market
• Jeff Ruby Steaks – Fulleffort
• UAE Derby – Wonder Dean
• Florida Derby – Commandment
• Arkansas Derby – Renegade
• Blue Grass Stakes – Further Ado
• Wood Memorial – Albus
• Santa Anita Derby – So Happy

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