Kentucky Derby Prep Race - Santa Anita Derby

by Steve Davidowitz | Apr 4 2011

Premier Pegasus, Bench Points and Celestic Night are among the top contenders for the 2011 edition of the Gr. 1 Santa Anita Derby, a 1 1/8 mile race for 3-year-olds with a purse of $1M. This Kentucky Derby prep race will take place at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, April 9.

Looking to follow in his sire's footsteps all the way to the Kentucky Derby winner's circle is Premier Pegasus, a son of the 2000 Kentucky Derby-winning Fusaichi Pegasus. Highly regarded after his eye-catching 7 ¾ length victory in the $250,000 Gr. 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park on March 12, Premier Pegasus will be looking for his second win of the year. In his 2011 debut, he came in third in the $150,000 Gr. 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 20, also at Santa Anita Park.  With only $228,000 in graded stakes earnings, this Myung Cho trainee will need to finish well in order to stay Derby-eligible. His most recent work was on April 2 at Santa Anita Park and it was a bullet 5 furlongs in 59.20. Alonso Quinonez, aboard for the San Felipe score, will be aboard for Saturday's race.

Hoping for a different result from his previous meeting with Premier Pegasus is Bench Points. This California-bred son of Benchmark was outrun in the San Felipe Stakes but did not have an ideal trip; in his 2011 campaign debut, he was the best of four in an allowance optional claimer on Feb. 11.  Trained by Tim Yakteen, Bench Points will be stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time and stamina could be a factor; he turned in a recent 5-furlong work at Santa Anita Park on April 2 timed in 59.80. He has earned $218,280 from five career starts and is 4-0-1. Rafael Bejarano will be in the irons for the Santa Anita Derby.

Seeking his first graded stakes victory from his first graded stakes start is Celestic Night, a Kentucky-bred son of Vindication. Joe Talamo gets the call for Saturday's race, hoping to build on the colt's 10-3-1-0 record and $93,340 in earnings. He fired a bullet workout on April 2 at Hollywood Park, going 6 furlongs in 1:12.00 but has raced exclusively at Santa Anita Park this year. His only win so far of 2011 was in his 3-year-old debut, an allowance race on Feb. 24.  Neil French trains Celestic Night and will be racing him on conventional dirt for the first time since a winning effort on Sept. 15 in the C. B. Afflerbaugh Stakes at Fairplex Park.

Also entered are Comma to the Top, Anthony's Cross, Indian Winter, Mr. Commons, Offlee Wild Boys and Silver Medallion; Quail Hill is possible while Jaycito may instead run in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

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