I'll Have Another turned in a sharp seven-furlong workout in 1:26 1/5 over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track March 21 as he prepares for next month's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).
Trained by Doug O'Neill, I'll Have Another won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) at 43-1 odds Feb. 4 at Santa Anita. The colt has been getting quite a bit more attention since then.
"He had a real nice seven-eighths work at Hollywood," said O'Neill. "He's doing great. We're one step closer to the Santa Anita Derby."
The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, is April 7. I'll Have Another is likely to meet top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender Creative Cause .
The latest workout was the fourth for the son of Flower Alley since his win in the Lewis. The chestnut colt is owned by J. Paul Reddam, who paid $35,000 for him at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's spring sale of 2-year-olds in training last April. I'll Have Another is out of the Arch mare Arch's Gal Edith.
O'Neill said he is not concerned about the lack of recent races for I'll Have Another, noting that he won the Lewis off a layoff of five months. He said he has resisted the temptation to ship out of town.
"I'm pumped," he said. "He hasn't missed a beat, that's for sure. As far as the Santa Anita Derby is concerned, I'm thinking that with Creative Cause in there, that may scare some of the others off and we'll have a nice little seven-or-eight-horse field in our own backyard."
I'll Have Another met Creative Cause once before, finishing second to him in the 6 1/2-furlong Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) last August at Del Mar.
I'll Have Another has won two of four lifetime starts with earnings of $184,000.
O'Neill and Reddam will run Handsome Mike in the $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) March 24 at Turfway Park. Handsome Mike ran third in the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) Feb. 18.
