Stronghold, the winner of the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico in his lone start this year, is scheduled to have his Grade 1 debut in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6. Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Wednesday that the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby is preferred over the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland at the same distance on the same day. The Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes are key preps to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2024: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more “We’re probably leaning toward the Santa Anita Derby,” D’Amato said from his base at Santa Anita. “It’s one less ship. If I ran him at Keeneland, I have to ship him there on top of the race and then ship to Churchill versus keeping him here. Hopefully he can run well here and then train up to the race at Churchill.” Owned by Eric and Sharon Waller, Stronghold raced near the front throughout and pulled clear by 2 1/2 lengths to take his first stakes in the Feb. 18 Sunland Park Derby. Last fall, Stronghold won his second start in a maiden race at a mile at Churchill Downs. He later finished second by 8 3/4 lengths to Nysos in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 19, and second by a half-length to Wynstock in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 16. On Monday, Stronghold worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 under jockey Antonio Fresu, the colt’s regular rider. “I thought it was a very impressive drill,” D’Amato said. “Antonio loves the way he’s coming along.” Nysos, rated as one of the nation’s leading 3-year-olds, is unbeaten in three starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths, but is currently sidelined, trainer Bob Baffert said last week. The absence of Nysos from the Santa Anita Derby is expected to swell the field. The Santa Anita Derby field is expected to draw Tapalo, who was second in the Feb. 10 El Camino Real Derby on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, Tapalo was entered in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, but was excluded from the race when it oversubscribed. The race will have a maximum field of 12 runners, and has two entrants on the also-eligible list. Tapalo remained in California and worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 on Monday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.