Works, entries, and results for the Midlantic-breds nominated to the Triple Crown. The latest Midlantic Triple Crown Update:
Bridget’s Big Luvy entered Saturday’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby with long odds — but also some buzz around him.
The Maryland-bred had made his first try around two turns a winning one in the nine-furlong Private Terms at Laurel Park, and a strong performance in Arkansas would likely put the Jeremiah Englehart trainee on the road to Louisville and the Kentucky Derby.
Hopes of that, however, dissipated in the early going of Oaklawn Park’s signature event, when Bridget’s Big Luvy, under rider Angel Cruz, shot to the lead and carved out an opening quarter mile in 22.77 and a half in 45.99 — blazing fractions for a 1 1/8 mile race. He still held the lead after three-quarters in 1:10.54 — nearly three seconds faster than the 1:13.14 he ran that distance in his Private Terms victory — but the end was nigh. Favored American Pharoah swooped past him en route to an impressive win, while Bridget’s Big Luvy faded to finish eighth, and last.
In other results: West Virginia-bred Kiss the Road finished sixth of nine in a maiden race at Keeneland on Sunday, while Pennsylvnia-bred The Man was scratched from the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita.
Upcoming: Pennsylvania-bred Saham is one of eight runners slated to line up in Keeneland’s redrawn Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes, a 1 1/16 mile turf test. The Brendan Walsh trainee is 8-1 on the morning line and will have Paco Lopez in the irons. He’s won one of four career starts to date.
On the worktab:
[su_list icon=”icon: clipboard”]- On Monday, Maryland-bred Or So worked a half-mile at Fair Hill; Pennsylvania-bred Refer went five furlongs at Belmont; and Virginia-bred Sir Rockport worked a half-mile on the Belmont training track.
- Sunday saw four horses, all Maryland-breds, work: Ghost Bay (5 furlongs at Laurel); Struth (three furlongs at Laurel); Balfe’s Corner (5 furlongs on the Belmont training); and Combat Diver (5 furlongs on the Belmont training).
And don’t forget to check out our Mid-Atlantic Triple Crown Trail page, featuring a sortable (and searchable) table of all of this year’s Midlantic-bred Triple Crown nominees.
