SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Through Thursday)

JOCKEYS / WINS

Juan Hernandez / 17

Edwin Maldonado / 6

Four tied / 5

TRAINERS / WINS

Bob Baffert / 11

Mark Glatt / 7

Doug O’Neill / 6

John Sadler / 5

Two tied / 4

WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $100,000 Astra Stakes, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, 1½ miles (turf)

DOWN THE STRETCH

• The popular 6-year-old Brickyard Ride, who’s won seven graded stakes for trainer Craig Lewis, is getting close to his first race since finishing fifth in the Grade II Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita in May. “When he’s ready he’ll tell me,” Lewis told Victor Ryan of Santa Anita publicity. “It’s a long year.” Brickyard Ride, who’s won 12 of 23 lifetime for earnings of $744,977, worked 6 furlongs in 1:12.80 on Thursday morning. Lewis says the horse’s connections have not picked out a comeback race. Thursday’s work was Brickyard Ride’s sixth since Dec. 9.

• A field of eight, led by 5-2 morning-line favorite Instant Coffee, was entered for Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana. The Lecomte serves as a prep for the Louisiana Derby on March 26. The Brad Cox-trained son of Bolt d’Oro has won two of three, including the Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. He’ll be ridden by Luis Saez. Two Phil’s, trained by Larry Rivelli, is the second choice at 4-1 and will have Jareth Loveberry aboard. The Lecomte has a post time of 4:30 p.m.

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• The Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard by points heading into the Lecomte:

1. Forte 40

2. Curly Jack 17

3. Blazing Sevens 16

4. Jace’s Road 13

5. Instant Coffee 12

6. (tied) Victory Formation, Dubyuhnell, Practical Knight and Lugan Knight 10

10. Arctic Arrogance 8.

Bob Baffert 3-year-olds are not eligible to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points because Churchill Downs has suspended him. Last year, Taiba and Messier were transferred to Tim Yakteen’s barn before the Santa Anita Derby to qualify for the Derby.

— Art Wilson