Thanks to a few veterinary scratches from the original eight entrants, the ’25 Juvenile field was the smallest in the history of the race. To be completely fair, the foal crop from which the field emerged was approximately 17,200, compared to the 1982 crop of 42,894 that fueled the Juvenile’s first run in 1984. But who said anything about being honest? This is a time for indignant outrage.
Among the others in the Juvenile, third place Brant has had just two easy works since the race and his first start as a three-year-old has yet to be determined. Brant’s Bob Baffert stablemate Litmus test finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and then returned straight to the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December. The litmus test was held on January 31 in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. However, that date was lost due to the weather and the race is now scheduled for February 6.
The two colts scratched from the Juvenile, Civil liberty And Blackout time took the rest of 2025 off. Both returned to the Workout tab in January: Blackout Time with Kenny McPeek joining Fair Grounds Race Track and Slot Machines and Civil Freedom with Doug O’Neill Santa Anita Park. Blackout Time finished second behind Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1). Keenelandwhile Civil Liberty, another girl, placed third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and fourth in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1).
“He’s still got that initial fitness, so he’ll probably be ready for that kind of racing in about 30 days,” O’Neill reported.
Comport winner of the 2025 Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes, was sixth in the Juvenile and has not worked since. That leaves Fearless hero of the American Pharoah but fifth in the Juvenile. A bad start cost the son of Maximus Mischief that day.
“A little,” the trainer replied. “I just hope he hasn’t lost the edge he had when he won the stakes at Santa Anita, but you never know until you try. I took it easy for two or three weeks after the Breeders’ Cup and then continued with him. I knew I had plenty of time.”
And now the time has come. Intrepido had five works in December and three more this month, including a fiery :59 2/5 five-eighths from Santa Anita’s gate on January 24. One more breeze and he’ll be ready for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) on February 7. The 1-mile event has drawn 11 nominees – five trained by Baffert – as well as recent winners of the Santa Anita stakes So happy And Start the ride .
The Lewis is the first California race of the year to offer starting spots for the Kentucky Derby. A total of 42 points are at stake, divided among the first five finishers.
After the Lewis, there will be two more men’s points races at Santa Anita, including the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in the final round of the “championship” events. The local Derby will have to field at least six starters or risk losing 25% of its points. Churchill Downs officials claim the minimum field size requirement encourages racetracks to maintain a larger inventory. In government circles, this is known as an unfunded mandate.
Forward Gal remembered at Gulfstream
The card of January 31 on Gulfstream Park features races in honor of Holy Bull and Swale, two of the most exciting colts of the late 20th century. But what about the other event on the programme, the Forward Gal Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs?
Forward Gal was the two-year-old filly champion of 1970, the year before the Eclipse Awards were inaugurated to unify the various end-of-season polls. The chestnut daughter of Native Charger was easily the consensus choice, based on a record of seven wins in 13 starts during a campaign that started in March and ended in November. It’s exhausting just typing those words, let alone imagining a modern two-year-old having such a blunder.
Charles Hatton, in his American Racing Manual review of the 1970 season, described the earliest version of Forward Gal as “growthy and immature and perhaps not frighteningly smart.” Witnessed by her victories in the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Parkthe Spinaway bet Saratoga Race Courseand the Frizette Stakes op Belmont Park however, brought along Hatton to conceive of her as ‘a long-stemmed flower that may prove to be a hardy animal’.
Forward Gal wins the 1970 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park
Racing for breeder Butch Savin and trainer Jimmy Croll, Forward Gal proved Hatton right with thirteen more starts at age 3. She won the Comely Stakes, the Monmouth Oaks and the Gazelle Handicap, while boarding in half a dozen other major events. Even with her exemplary record, Forward Gal never made it into the Hall of Fame, so a good race on a big day is the least her memory deserves.
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