Santa Anita Derby rematch looms between Hear the Ghost and Flashback

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hear the Ghost, who successfully stretched out around two turns when winning the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday here at Santa Anita, came out of the race in good condition and is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6, his trainer and co-owner, Jerry Hollendorfer, said Sunday morning.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

“He’s very good,” Hollendorfer said via telephone from Hollywood Park, where he is based. “We brought him right back here after the race.”

Hollendorfer said he’d “sure take a close look” at the Santa Anita Derby, which he described as “the logical next step.”

Flashback was second as the favorite in the San Felipe while suffering the first loss of his three-race career. He is also likely to return in the Santa Anita Derby. His trainer, Bob Baffert, said Flashback was "great" on Sunday.

Goldencents, who dueled early with Flashback before fading late to finish fourth, came out of the race well, according to Leandro Mora, the top assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill.