(Bob Baffert may be busy after the 2019 Kentucky Derby, as well / Photo by Gene McLean)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks all over the country.  We are looking for workouts that may be of interest and helpful to you — as both race fans and handicappers.  Some of the horses we will be tracking, you will know.  Some of them, you may not know — as of yet.  We will keep a keen eye and stopwatch to see who may be working well:

  1. Combatant, the 4YO son of Scat Daddy and trained by Steve Asmussen, is coming off a 7th in the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap the last time out. That was the odd race out for this one, though. In 15 starts to date, he has only 1 win. But he has 3 seconds and 3 thirds. This morning, he worked at the Fair Grounds, going an easy half-mile in :51.20. That was the 26th best time out of 31 to go the distance. Will be interesting to see where the connections go next. My guess they will stay on the grass. Forever.
  2. Limonite, a 3YO Lemon Drop Kid colt trained by Asmussen, is coming off a 5th place run against War of Will in the G2 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in the last out. Before that, though, this deep closer was 3rd in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs last November. This one could be sharper next time out. Worked 5 furlongs on Monday, going the distance in 1:01.20 That was the bullet move out of 24 to go the distance. Already looks sharper. Don’t throw out just yet.
  3. Nitrous, a 3YO Tapit colt trained by Team Asmussen, is coming off a win in the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park on Jan. 27. Got his 4th published work since that win this morning, going 5 furlongs in 1:01.20. That was tied for the bullet move. In 6 starts to date, he has 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third. Ran third in the G1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last summer. Could he be headed to the Sunland Derby next? We shall see.
  4. Encanta, a 3YO Verrazano filly trained by John Sadler, has raced 4 times so far and has a second and two thirds on the resume. Is entered for this Friday at Santa Anita, and tuned up for that effort with a blowout this morning at “The Great Race Place.” Went the half mile in :47.80, which was the 5th fastest time out of 52 to go the distance. Might be time to crack that circle for the first time. Take note.
  5. Next Shares, a 6YO gelding trained by Aimee Dollase now, is coming off a 6th place finish in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Before that, though, he won the G2 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 5 and won the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. Did run 13th in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in that mix, too. But whose counting that one, right? He warmed up today at Santa Anita, going a half mile over the turf course in :47 flat. That was the bullet move out of 2 to be clocked at the distance over that surface. Be fun to see this one come back and run well again. Great story.
  6. Game Winner, the 2YO Champ of a year ago, tuned up for the G2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday with a work at Santa Anita this morning. The 3YO son of Candy Ride went 5 furlongs in 1:00.60. That was the 6th best time out of 43 to go the distance. This undefeated star is ‘The Pressbox’s” #1 choice for our KY Derby Rankings. And, why not? He won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and certainly has done nothing but win, to date. Big race on Saturday. Looks ready for Team Baffert.
  7. Improbable, a 3YO son of City Zip and another super star in the making for Team Baffert, also tuned up for this Saturday’s showdown with his stablemate. He went 5 furlongs in a little quicker time of :59.80 — which was the 4th best time out of the 43. In 3 career starts to date, Improbable has 3 wins, and is coming off a victory in the G1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity. Looks ready, as well.
  8. McKinzie, a 4YO son of Street Sense, is coming off a hard-fought second to the ill-fated Battle of Midway in the G2 San Pasqual Stakes last time out on Feb. 2. In his career, he has a 5-2-0 mark in 8 career starts. The only misstep came in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November, when he was an uncharacteristic 12th. Looks to have returned to former self and form. Went 6 furlongs on Monday in 1:13.80. The 3rd fastest time out of 6 to clock the distance.