Three Solid Prep Races Highlight The Week's Action On The Visa Triple Crown Trail

Headlined by the season’s second appearance of promising Visa Triple Crown nominee Came Home in Saturday’s Grade II San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita Park, the upcoming weekend offers solid stakes in three major racing venues — the West Coast, Northern Kentucky and Arkansas. Owned by Trudy McCaffery, John Toffan, W.S. Farish and John Goodman, Came Home, under the training of Paco Gonzalez, will be trying to enhance his Triple Crown prospects by reprising his Feb. 2 victory in Santa Anita’s Grade II San Vicente Stakes. A victory in the one-mile San Rafael likely will assure him a start in the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

The speedy Gone West colt, who was undefeated in three starts last year before finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is expected to be joined in the San Rafael gate by such other promising sophomores as Easy Grades, owned by Desperado Stables and trained by Ted H. West; Meadowbrook Farms’ FONZ’S, trained by David Lacroix; PELIRROJO, owned by Granja Vista Del Rio Stable and trained by John Sadler; the Chelston & Orpendale-owned SHAH JEHAN, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas; and WERBLIN, owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and trained by Eduardo Inda.

Moving across the country to Arkansas, Oaklawn Park racing officials suggest they may be looking at two divisions of the $75,000 Southwest Stakes on Saturday. At least 11 prospects have been confirmed as race prospects with at least another three to six possible for the field. If the others become a reality, a split stakes event could be on the schedule. The result could hinge heavily on whether trainer Steve Asmussen chooses to start three from his barn.

Of the prospective starters for the one-mile test, these are the Visa Triple Crown nominees: CLERGY, owned by Adele Dilschneider and trained by Frank Brothers; COJET, who finished second in the earlier Mountain Valley Stakes for owner Dan Jones and trainer Robert Holthus; FISHER STATION, owned by Keith N. Myers and trained by James E. Baker; RYLSTONE, owned by Choctaw Racing Stable and trained by Lynn S. Whiting; and the trio of Asmussen trainees, FORTY NINE DEEDS, Private Emblem and Windward Passage. FORTY NINE DEEDS is owned by the trainer’s father, Keith Asmussen; Private Emblem is owned by James Cassels and Robert Zollars; and Windward Passage runs for Team Valor.

To the north, at Turfway Park, a field that could range up to 10 is expected to show up for Saturday’s $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, the prime prep for the Grade II, $600,000 Lane’s End Spiral Stakes on March 23. Expected to carry the Visa Triple Crown banner into the race are PISTON, owned by Jerry L. Carroll and trained by nominee-rich Kenneth McPeek; Stonecrest Farm’s Perfect Drift, trained by Murray W. Johnson; Sam and Jeri Knighton’s Request For Parole, trained by Stephen R. Margolis; Overbrook Farm’s STORM COMMANDER, trained by D. Wayne Lukas; and DIAL A HERO, who is expected to ship in from California for owner J P Racing and trainer Joe Parga.

Weekend Action — Highlighting the past weekend’s Visa Triple Crown action were a pair of Grade III turf races at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park and the Best Turn Stakes at Aqueduct. The latter, which was run on the dirt, likely will have more impact on the Triple Crown than the former two.

The two grass races were swept by non-nominated 3-year-olds while the Best Turn showcased a couple of nominees who ran first and second in the 6-furlong dash.

The weekend’s action opened on Friday when Orchard Park scored a solid win in Gulfstream Park’s Grade III Palm Beach Stakes. Following him across the wire were Lord Juban and Red’s Top Gun. Closing out the weekend on Sunday was the Grade III Baldwin Stakes at Santa Anita, where Shuffling Kid, Red Briar and Dark Sorcerer grabbed the top three spots, respectively, in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint on the track’s downhill turf course.

In between, SMOOTH JAZZ, owned and trained by Anthony Dutrow, posted an impressive 2 3/4-length victory over TANK’S EXPECTATION, owned by William Sorokolit and trained by Dale Capuano, finished second, a length ahead of stablemate President Butler. The winner and runner-up were the only Visa Triple Crown nominees in the race and further Triple Crown plans are expected to go forward for the pair.

Not faring so well in Southern California was the Baldwin’s only Visa Triple Crown nominee HOLDTHEHELM, who was fifth, though beaten less than a length in a blanket finish.

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