Barnes and Rodriguez , candidates for the San Felipe (G2) March 1 at Santa Anita Park, and fellow 3-year-old Citizen Bull all worked for trainer Bob Baffert Feb. 17 at Santa Anita. Baffert also worked older horse Mirahmadi , who is pointed to the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) March 1.
Unbeaten Barnes worked in company with stablemate Flying Drummer , an allowance-winning 4-year-old. Barnes was clocked going six furlongs in 1:12, while Flying Drummer was credited with a five-furlong drill in 1:01 3/5.
Rodriguez completed his solo move in 1:11 4/5, which shared for the fastest six-furlong work of the day. Citizen Bull, the reigning champion 2-year-old male, worked five furlongs with company in 1:00 3/5. Citizen Bull and Rodriguez most recently ran one-two in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) going a mile on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita.
Barnes closed this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager as the 8-1 individual favorite among 39 sophomores listed in the pool. The “all others” entry was the overall favorite at 9-2. By Into Mischief , Barnes improved to 2-for-2 when winning the San Vicente (G2) going seven furlongs on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita. The 1 1/16-mile San Felipe would be his first time racing around two turns.
Citizen Bull, also by Into Mischief, closed the Kentucky Derby future pool as the 9-1 second choice among individual 3-year-olds. Rodriguez, an Authentic colt, closed at 29-1.
Mirahmadi also worked six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 to share the bullet for the distance with Rodriguez. A 4-year-old Into Mischief colt, Mirahmadi most recently rolled to a 4 1/2-length allowance win going a mile Jan. 4.
Continuing on the comeback trail for Baffert was unbeaten Nysos . Off since winning last year’s Robert B. Lewis, Nysos worked four furlongs in :48 4/5. It was the 4-year-old Nyquist colt’s third work since Jan. 30.
Also working towards an expected start in the Santa Anita Handicap was Express Train for trainer John Shirreffs. Winner of the 2022 Big Cap, Express Train drilled six furlongs in 1:14. Express Train, a 7-year-old horse by Union Rags , most recently finished second in the San Pasqual (G2) going 1 1/8 miles Jan. 25.
Among trainer Phil D’Amato’s workers were grade 1-winner Gold Phoenix and multiple graded stakes-winner Balnikhov . Gold Phoenix, most recently fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 2 at Del Mar, drilled five furlongs on the synthetic training track in 1:01 3/5. It was the fourth work after a freshening for the 7-year-old gelding by Belardo .
Balnikhov, most recently 10th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1T) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park, returned to the tab with a four-furlong work on the training track in :49 4/5.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
