Kentucky Derby works: Stronghold drills for Santa Anita
Stronghold, the winner of the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 18, continues his training toward an expected start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday. He was a 50-1 best price in Las Vegas on Monday morning.
The son of Ghostzapper, who is trained by Phil D'Amato, worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds on the all-weather training track Monday. The drill was the fourth fastest of 21 at the distance. It was his first work on the all-weather since his victory at Sunland, as his other four works since the race came on the dirt.
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Stronghold was one of two horses in Las Vegas future books for the Kentucky Derby who worked Monday:
Booth (Mitole) worked three furlongs in 39.6 seconds at Churchill Downs on Monday morning. It was the slower of two works at the distance. His previous work was eight days ago going five furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start he won an allowance race going six furlongs on the main track at Oaklawn on Feb. 11 for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Stronghold (Ghostzapper), a Grade 3 winner (2024 Sunland Park Derby), worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday morning. It was the fourth fastest of 21 works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going five furlongs at Santa Anita. In his last start he won the Sunland Park Derby (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Sunland Park on Feb. 18 for trainer Phil D'Amato.