Trainer Pulls Lion Heart From Santa Anita Derby

Lion Heart, after working a not particularly fast five furlongs Monday in 1:01 2/5, was declared out of Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby by his trainer, Patrick Biancone. Lion Heart will be shipped to Lexington, Ky., with the rest of Biancone’s stable, for the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 10.

Lion Heart would have been a favorite, along with Wimbledon, the Louisiana Derby winner, had he run at Santa Anita. Lion Heart, winner of the Hollywood Futurity in December and second to Imperialism, another Santa Anita Derby probable, in his only start this year, has a front-running style that should fit the Keeneland track, which has traditionally favored speed. Biancone also likes the idea of the extra week between races for Lion Heart, who will have to come back in three weeks if he runs in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Biancone said he was not concerned about Lion Heart’s workout time, which was bettered by 35 other horses at the same distance, including Wimbledon, who was clocked in :59 1/5, and Rock Hard Ten, another Santa Anita Derby probable, who worked in :58 2/5. Biancone has another Kentucky Derby prospect, Pomeroy, who also will prep at Keeneland, in the Lexington Stakes on April 17.

-- Bill Christine