A quartet of contenders for next weekend's GI Santa Anita Derby took to the track in Arcadia to work Saturday morning: Journalism (Curlin), Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Rodriguez (Authentic) and Baeza (McKinzie).
Journalism, last-out winner of the GII San Felipe Stakes, went five furlongs in 1:01.40 (26/42) for trainer Michael McCarthy.
“I let him run a little bit down the lane with a solid gallop-out,” McCarthy said of the work. “He did everything we asked of him.”
Journalism's eye-catching victory in the San Felipe earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the highest recorded this year by an active 3-year-old.
Last year's champion 2-year-old Citizen Bull, who opened 2025 with a win in the Feb. 1 GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, worked five furlongs in a bullet :58.40 (1/42) for trainer Bob Baffert, while his workmate, the 4-year-old colt Dothraki (Into Mischief), was timed in :59.40.
Fellow Baffert trainee and 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez, third in the San Felipe and second in the Bob Lewis, worked five furlongs in :59.60 (5/42).
The John Sherriffs-trained Baeza went six furlongs Saturday in 1:12.00 (1/1). The $1.2-million Keeneland September purchase is coming off a 4 3/4-length maiden score at Santa Anita Feb. 14.
Of Baeza's work, Shirreffs said “just getting him a step closer.”
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