Luis Mendez

Vlahos (r, 3, Kantharos--Must Be Dreaming, by Run Away and Hide), a razor sharp debut winner for owner Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita Mar. 9, has been purchased privately by Ty Leatherman and Todd Cady and transferred to Doug O'Neill. The sale price was not disclosed. The chestnut, a steal for $35,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, is aiming to make his next start in the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He has posted...

On an action-packed stakes weekend, insights were relatively light, featuring an upset of perennial 2-year-old powerhouse Wesley Ward in the Keeneland meet opener Friday and the unveiling of a $1.25-million purchase on the Aqueduct turf Saturday. Friday's Insights: Laoban Full-Sister Debuts at Keeneland 1st-Keeneland, $60,904, Msw, 4-8, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.16, ft, 5 lengths. The annual tradition of Wesley Ward dominating Keeneland's April 2-year-old races early and often was immediately interrupted by emerging California juvenile trainer Luis Mendez--starting his first-ever horse at Keeneland--and Flavien Prat thanks to five-length winner KING...

4th-Santa Anita, $65,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($62,500), 6-18, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.46, ft, neck. DR. SCHIVEL (c, 3, Violence--Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money), winner of the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity when last seen at the races last September, made a promising return to action Friday afternoon, taking a six-furlong Santa Anita allowance in good style. Off at odds of 6-5 after touching 4-5 in the latter stages of the wagering, the bay colt was away from the one hole without incident and was settled in third position by...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-SA, $65k, Alw/Opt. Clm, 3yo/up, 6f, 5:31 p.m. ET DR. SCHIVEL (Violence), a Grade I winner at two, will make his sophomore debut in this allowance/optional claimer sprint Friday at Santa Anita. Placing in a pair of tries to start his career with Beyers of only 57 and 52, the bay jumped way forward with an 86 when romping to a 5 3/4-length graduation last August at Del Mar, a race that included three next-out winners as well as future Grade II victor Spielberg (Union...

Dr. Schivel (Violence), a blowout maiden winner last out, plus a pair of horses yet to earn their diploma make up a quality trio of major contenders in Monday's GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. Backed down to 3-2 debuting June 21 at Santa Anita, the Luis Mendez trainee rallied to be third after some trouble and was runner-up July 4 at Los Alamitos. Jumping way forward in his local bow Aug. 8, the bay blasted clear to a 5 3/4-length victory, earning by far his highest career Beyer with an...