Triple Crown Tracker: Check in with Taiba, Charge It and more
The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the most recent Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2022 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby alumni Pioneer of Medina and Simplification ran 2-3 in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 31, both showing themselves in good form leading into the Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Jan. 28. Pioneer of Medina, coming off an allowance win Nov. 17 at Churchill, set the pace, kept chasing when eventual two-length winner Skippylongstocking got past in upper stretch, and re-rallied late to wrest second position back from Simplification, who bid into the lane but finished a neck shy of the place.
Two others from the 2022 Kentucky Derby returned to the work tab on Monday. Taiba posted a five-furlong drill at Santa Anita, his first since winning the Malibu (G1), as he trains toward the Saudi Cup (G1) on Feb. 25. Charge It, unraced since his imperious romp in the Dwyer (G3), worked for the first time since September on Monday at Palm Beach Downs.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rich Strike | 6th Clark (G1) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Epicenter | DNF Breeders' Cup Classic | Stands for $45,000 at Ashford |
| 3 | Zandon | 4th Cigar Mile (G1) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Simplification | 3rd Harlan's Holiday (G3) | No works since last race |
| 5 | Mo Donegal | 1st Belmont | Stands for $20,000 at Spendthrift |
| 6 | Barber Road | 3rd Alw (Dec. 17. at OP) | Worked 5f Sat. at OP |
| 7 | Tawny Port | 10th Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at FG |
| 8 | Smile Happy | 8th Kentucky Derby | Worked 3f Sat. at FG |
| 9 | Tiz the Bomb | 4th National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) | Worked 4f Fri. at FG |
| 10 | Zozos | 1st Alw OC (Dec. 17 at FG) | Worked 4f Fri. at FG |
| 11 | Classic Causeway | 6th Bryan Station | No works since last race |
| 12 | Taiba | Malibu (G1) | Worked 4f Mon. at SA |
| 13 | Crown Pride | 2nd Champions Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 14 | Happy Jack | 6th H. Allen Jerkens (G1) | No works since last race |
| 15 | Messier | Malibu (G1) | Worked 5f Mon. at SA |
| 16 | White Abarrio | 3rd Cigar Mile (G1) | Worked 5f Fri. at GP |
| 17 | Charge It | 1st Dwyer (G3) | Worked 4f Mon. at PBD |
| 18 | Cyberknife | 2nd Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Worked 5f Mon. at FG |
| 19 | Pioneer of Medina | 2nd Harlan's Holiday (G3) | No works since last race |
| 20 | Summer Is Tomorrow | 20th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| SCR | Ethereal Road | 5th Alw OC (Nov. 4 at KEE) | Worked 4f Dec. 22 at OP |
| SCR | Rattle N Roll | 4th Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) | No works since last race |
2022 Preakness Stakes
Skippylongstocking, unraced since a ninth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 24, bounced back in a big way Dec. 31 in the Harlan's Holiday (G3), the local prep race for the Pegasus World Cup (G1). Tracking in close range of pacesetter Pioneer of Medina, he launched a bid around the far turn, took command in the lane and won by two lengths over that foe.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early Voting | 8th Travers (G1) | Stands for $25,000 at Ashford |
| 2 | Epicenter | DNF Breeders' Cup Classic | Stands for $45,000 at Ashford |
| 3 | Creative Minister | 6th Alw OC (Oct. 20 at KEE) | Worked 4f Nov. 4 at CD |
| 4 | Secret Oath | 5th Breeders' Cup Distaff | Worked 4f Mon. at OP |
| 5 | Skippylongstocking | 1st Harlan's Holiday (G3) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Simplification | 3rd Harlan's Holiday | No works since last race |
| 7 | Armagnac | 5th Shared Belief S. | No works since last race |
| 8 | Happy Jack | 6th H. Allen Jerkens (G1) | No works since last race |
| 9 | Fenwick | 6th Alw OC (Oct. 30 at WO) | No works since last race |
2022 Belmont Stakes
Barber Road remains in training after a third-place effort in an allowance Dec. 17. He returned to the work tab for the first time since that outing on Saturday, going five furlongs in 1:01.4, 13th fastest of 47 at the distance.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mo Donegal | 1st Belmont | Stands for $20,000 at Ashford |
| 2 | Nest | 4th Breeders' Cup Distaff | No works since last race |
| 3 | Skippylongstocking | 1st, Harlan's Holiday (G3) | No works since last race |
| 4 | We the People | 8th Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | No works since last race |
| 5 | Creative Minister | 6th Alw OC (Oct. 20 at KEE) | Worked 4f Nov. 4 at CD |
| 6 | Rich Strike | 6th Clark (G1) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Barber Road | 3rd Alw (Dec. 17 at OP) | Worked 5f Sat. at OP |
| 8 | Golden Glider | 1st Tropical Park Derby | No works since last race |