Santa Anita lists the following horses, with riders, as probable for the Santa Anita Derby: Came Home, Chris McCarron; Danthebluegrassman, David Flores; Easy Grades, Gary Stevens; Fonz's, no rider; Jack's Silver, no rider; Lusty Latin, no rider; Tracemark, no rider; U S S Tinosa, Kent Desormeaux; and Royal Gem, no rider. Mayakovsky is listed as possible.
Michael Tabor's Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Mayakovsky drilled five furlongs in :58 3/5 at Santa Anita Wednesday and is now under consideration for the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).Trainer Patrick Biancone said he would talk with Tabor this week about whether to run the son of Matty G. in the Santa Anita race or the Wood Memorial (gr. I) as previously planned. Biancone, though, said Mayakovsky is "50-50" to run in the Santa Anita Derby.After completing the five furlongs Wednesday, Mayakovsky galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 2/5."He looked super," clocker Chuck Russell said. "He did it real easy."Though trainer Bobby Frankel is likely to send San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) winner Medaglia d'Oro east to prep for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) in the Wood Memorial, the Hall of Fame trainer may have still have a 3-year-old for the Santa Anita Derby. Frankel is considering running Royal Gem in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita race to gauge how the son of Royal Academy handles racing on the main track."We just want to see if he can run on dirt," Frankel said.In two career starts to date, the half-brother of turf graded stakes winner The Seven Seas has raced only on turf, winning his maiden debut and the listed Academy Road Stakes.The $225,000 yearling purchase has been ridden by Alex Solis in both his starts, but Frankel may switch to Laffit Pincay Jr. for the Santa Anita Derby. Pincay rode Medaglia d'Oro in the San Felipe.