Rodriguez, Baeza Breeze for Derby at Santa Anita

Top 3-year-olds Rodriguez and Baeza each had their final local works April 20 at Santa Anita Park prior to shipping to Churchill Downs. Rodriguez, who is ticketed for a start in the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) May 3, worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 for trainer Bob Baffert. Baeza drilled in the company of stablemate Atitlan, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, for trainer John Shirreffs. Baeza, working under jockey Hector Berrios, was officially credited with a seven-furlong work in 1:28. Shirreffs clocked the McKinzie colt in 1:28 1/5. "Because his morning gallops have been a little on the easy side, I wanted to give him a longer work to put a little more air in him and with a good finish," Shirreffs said. Baeza's work was his second since finishing runner-up to Journalism in the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (G1). Baeza previously worked four furlongs in :50 April 14. As of Sunday morning, Baeza still needed help to make the field for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters. He was sitting at No. 23 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, meaning he will need multiple defections to make the starting gate for the 1 1/4-mile classic. As for Rodriguez, Baffert came away happy with what was his first work since winning the April 5 Wood Memorial (G2) under Hall of Famer Mike Smith at Aqueduct Racetrack. "All went well," Baffert said. Rodriguez will be joined in the Kentucky Derby by stablemate Citizen Bull, who on April 18 worked six furlongs in 1:11 4/5. It was Citizen Bull's first work since finishing fourth in the Santa Anita Derby. Baffert said Rodriguez, Citizen Bull and other horses he's running during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs will ship out either April 22 or 24. Rodriguez will enter the Kentucky Derby with a record of 2-2-1 from five starts and $522,800 in earnings for an extensive ownership group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, and partners. Shirreffs said Baeza will depart for Kentucky on either April 23 or 24. "It depends on the space available, but the sooner the better," Shirreffs added. If Baeza was to make the Kentucky Derby field, Shirreffs would be shooting for his second victory in America's most famous race. In 2005, Shirreffs famously shocked the world when Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby at odds of 50-1, which at the time was the second-biggest upset in the race's history. Baeza is owned in partnership by C R K Stable and breeder Grandview Equine. He has a record of 1-2-0 from four starts with $148,500 in earnings. Flavien Prat will have the mount on Baeza if he makes the field.