ARCADIA, Calif. - Messier, one of the nation’s leading 3-year-olds, worked six furlongs in 1:11.40 at Santa Anita on Sunday for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9. The workout was Messier’s first major exercise since a recent transfer from trainer Bob Baffert to Tim Yakteen. Messier, who won the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes by 15 lengths at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 6 in his lone start this year, is one of four prominent runners previously trained by Baffert who were moved to Yakteen’s stable in recent days in an effort to gain qualification for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Baffert is ineligible to start horses in the 2022 or 2023 Kentucky Derby owing to a decision by Churchill Downs management to suspend the Hall of Fame trainer from its famous race after 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned raceday medication. The ban applies to the Kentucky Oaks as well. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures Last year, Churchill Downs ruled that any Baffert-trained runners would be ineligible to earn points for the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks in qualifying races if they remained in his care. Baffert received a 90-day suspension by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission for the positive found in the post-race test taken from Medina Spirit. The suspension is scheduled to start on April 4, but Baffert is seeking legal action to appeal the decision. Yakteen is a former assistant to Baffert who has operated his own stable for the last 17 years. Yakteen also added the colts McLaren Vale and Doppelganger and the highly regarded filly Adare Manor to his stable from Baffert. Messier’s workout on Sunday was the fastest of five works at the distance. John Velazquez worked Messier on Sunday and is booked to ride the colt in the Santa Anita Derby. McLaren Vale, who worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 on Sunday, is a candidate for the Santa Anita Derby, while Doppelganger is bound for the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on Saturday. Doppelganger worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Saturday. McLaren Vale was third in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs in his stakes debut on Jan. 29, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind Santa Anita Derby hopeful Forbidden Kingdom. Doppelganger was second to Forbidden Kingdom in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 5. Adare Manor worked six furlongs in 1:13 on Sunday for the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 9. Adare Manor won her stakes debut by 14 lengths in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile on Feb. 6.