Noted: April 25
– Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Shirocco returns to the races on May 7 in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. Trainer Andre Fabre plans another international campaign for the five-year-old, including the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 2.
– Declan’s Moon worked today for the first time since last summer. The 2004 juvenile champion worked three furlongs handily in :37.8 at Hollywood Park this morning. An early favorite for last year’s Kentucky Derby, Declan’s Moon was sidelined with a chipped knee after winning the Santa Catalina Stakes. He returned to training in August, but suffered another injury that kept him out of training until last month, when he began galloping over the Hollywood training track.
– Santa Anita closed on Sunday with big gains in attendance and handle. Gulfstream closed the same day, and while the track wouldn’t disclose specific numbers, handle was reported to be up, attendance down (which is no surprise). President Scott Savin said the track would make some changes before next year, such as the stakes schedule. “We want to have a better progression of distances,” said Savin. “Maybe the Holy Bull will be run at a mile and the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby are run at 1 1/8 mile.”
