Santa Anita: Creative Cause, Bodemeister will meet again in Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Creative Cause and Bodemeister, the one-two finishers in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, are expected to meet again in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, with the trainers of both colts saying that’s where they are headed.

“This horse will run back in the Santa Anita Derby,” said Mike Harrington, the trainer of Creative Cause.

Harrington said Empire Way, who finished ninth in the field of 10, would make his next start out of town.

“The other horse will go somewhere else,” Harrington said. “He’s got to win or run second in his next race to stay on the Derby trail.”

Bob Baffert said he expects Bodemeister, who had just two starts coming into the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, to improve in his next start.

“I wasn’t real hard on him going into this,” Baffert said. “The next one is the most important, a mile and an eighth.”

Midnight Transfer, who finished third in the San Felipe, also could come back in the Santa Anita Derby, though trainer Carla Gaines will wait a little longer before deciding if that is the appropriate spot for the small colt, who looked exhausted right after being unsaddled.