Answer In pegged the 2-1 favorite as a dozen seek Derby points in Springboard Mile

Dec 13, 2019 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

A smashing maiden winner at Churchill Downs in his last outing, Answer In will jump straight to a Kentucky Derby qualifier in Sunday’s $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. A field of 12 is set for the one-mile race at Remington Park and the top four finishers will receive points toward a Kentucky Derby berth on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

A $175,000 weanling purchase, Answer In is campaigned by Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables, and Brad Cox trains the son of Dialed In. The bay gelding broke a step slowly and recorded a nose second to subsequent stakes winner South Bend when making his debut in mid-September. He came back to crush maiden special weight foes on October 27, netting a commendable 96 BRIS Speed rating for the 5 ¼-length decision, and the promising two-year-old picks up the services of Javier Castellano.

Steve Asmussen will send a trio postward in pursuit of his seventh Springboard Mile win. Rowdy Yates is the 7-2 second choice following a pair of convincing wins over Oklahoma-bred rivals in a pair of Remington stakes. By Morning Line, the dark bay colt also captured the Ellis Park Juvenile in August and retains Richard Eramia.

Hopeful (G1) runner-up Shoplifted should appreciate the class relief following a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Ricardo Santana Jr. will be up on the early 5-1 fourth choice. Jungle Runner completes the Asmussen trio. Winner of the November 1 Clever Trevor at Remington, the son of Candy Ride will have Ramon Vasquez in the saddle.

Embolden will switch from turf to dirt for conditioner Michael Stidham. The colt exits a couple of stakes placings at Belmont Park and Aqueduct, and he has been listed as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line with Brian Hernandez Jr.