Robusta, So Happy, Start the Ride Work for SA Derby

Robusta, So Happy and Start the Ride all returned to the work tab Saturday after running in the GII San Felipe 14 days ago. All three will return to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 4, their respective trainers confirmed following the drills. Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, finished second by head at odds of 67-1 in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe won by Potente. The colt by Accelerate worked an easy four furlongs in 51.0 seconds. Also working for O'Neill was Civil Liberty, who is slated to run in the GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct also on April 4. The colt by Independence Hall was clocked going four furlongs in 49.4 seconds. So Happy, trained by Mark Glatt, finished third in the San Felipe when making his first start around two turns. By Runhappy, So Happy worked five furlongs with company in 1:00.0. Hall of Famer Mike Smith was aboard for the drill. "I thought he worked excellent," Glatt said. "We're really pleased with the work and are proceeding to the Santa Anita Derby." In the San Felipe, So Happy pressed pacesetter Brant in second through solid fractions of 22.88, 46.62 and 1:10.42. He then was overtaken in the stretch by the first two finishers. So Happy crossed the wire about 2 1/4 lengths back of the pair. The decision to push forward to the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby with So Happy largely depended on his work Saturday, Glatt noted. "He's fit. We just wanted to see him work well off that last race and I think we got it," Glatt said. "The work was maybe even a step up to his workouts prior to his last race. I think we're moving in the right direction." Start the Ride, trained by Dan Blacker, finished sixth in the San Felipe after previously winning the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby for statebreds in January. By Upstart, Start the Ride worked four furlongs in 49.6 seconds. "He's doing good. We're going to give him a shot in the Santa Anita Derby," Blacker said. In the San Felipe, Start the Ride trailed the field after a slow start and never really got involved. He wound up finishing sixth in a seven-horse field. "I felt he didn't run his best race in the San Felipe and have made some adjustments," Blacker said. Nominations for the Santa Anita Derby close on Sunday. The race is part of a stakes-laden program on April 4 that also includes the GII Santa Anita Oaks, GIII Monrovia and both the Echo Eddie Stakes and Evening Jewel Stakes for California-breds.