The tab: 4 graded winners, 3 Kentucky Derby contenders breeze

Nearly 17 months since his last race, Express Train was back on the work tab Wednesday morning for the fifth time this year.

Gradually being stretched by trainer John Shirreffs, the 7-year-old millionaire went a half-mile 47.6 seconds in a main-track workout at Santa Anita.

“After he works five furlongs, we can start looking,” Shirreffs said when asked whether he had a race in mind yet for the entire son of Union Rags who won the 2022 running of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

On a light day of training, four graded-stakes winners and three Las Vegas futures choices for Kentucky Derby 2024 appeared on the U.S. work tab.

Graded-stakes winners

Express Train (Union Rags), a Grade 1 winner (2022 Santa Anita Handicap), worked four furlongs in 47.6 seconds at Santa Anita on Wednesday morning. It was the fifth fastest of 13 works at the distance. His previous work was 10 days ago going four furlongs at Santa Anita. In his last start he placed fourth in the Awesome Again (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 for trainer John Shirreffs.

Curly Jack (Good Magic), a Grade 3 winner (2022 Iroquois), worked four furlongs in 49.6 seconds at Fair Grounds. It was the 19th fastest of 34 works at the distance. His previous work was 21 days ago going four furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start he placed 11th in an allowance race going one mile on the turf at Fair Grounds on Jan. 20 for trainer Tom Amoss.

Lady Radler (Kantharos), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Dogwood), worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds at Tampa Bay Downs. It was the second fastest of 17 works at the distance. This was her first work since her last race. In her last start she placed fourth in the Minaret going six furlongs on the main track at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 10 for trainer Michael Campbell.

Ruby Nell (Bolt d'Oro), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Autumn Miss), worked three furlongs in 36.6 seconds at Santa Anita. It was the slower of two works at the distance. Her previous work was five days ago going six furlongs at Santa Anita. In her last start she placed third in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2) going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27 for trainer Richard Mandella.

Kentucky Derby contenders

Better Than Gold (Nyquist) worked four furlongs in 47.4 seconds at Santa Anita. It was the fourth fastest of 13 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed sixth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) going one mile on the main track at Santa Anita on Feb. 3 for trainer Gary Mandella.

Booth (Mitole) worked four furlongs in 52.0 seconds at Fair Grounds. It was the 32nd fastest of 34 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. 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.

Patriot Spirit (Constitution) worked four furlongs in 47.0 seconds at Tampa Bay Downs. It was the fastest of 17 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed ninth in the Sam F. Davis (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 10 for Campbell.