Sweetnorthernsaint, the betting favorite in the 2006 Kentucky Derby and the second-place finisher in the Preakness, will celebrate his fourth birthday by running in the Grade III Hal's Hope Handicap on Jan. 6 at Gulfstream Park.
The one-mile race for 4-year-olds and up pays $100,000.
The Saint has moved to Gulfstream, where trainer Mike Trombetta maintains a 15-stall stable in Barn 8 under the supervision of his assistant trainer, Fernando Juarez.
"The Saint is doing well, training well," Trombetta said. "We'll see how he does in this race and go from there."
In his last outing, Sweetnorthernsaint won an allowance race at Laurel Park in which his victory was never in doubt. Trombetta, who had his first Triple Crown race experience with The Saint this year, said he has several "nice 2-year-old fillies" who might emerge as contenders on the Derby undercard next spring, but added: "We won't be going back to the Derby this year, I'm afraid."
Among the fillies to watch in Trombetta's barn next spring are Changeisgonnacome (Cherokee Run), Your Flame in Me (Bomdary) and Spectacular Malibu (Malibu Moon).
"All of them are 2-year-old stakes winners," he said.
sandra.mckee@baltsun.com