Santa Anita: San Fernando's top trio likely to meet again in Strub

Shigeki Kikkawa

Trainer Bob Baffert says San Fernando winner Fed Biz (above) and stablemate Guilt Trip, who was third, are probable for the Feb. 2 Strub Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The first three finishers of Saturday’s $151,000 San Fernando Stakes – Fed Biz, Tritap, and Guilt Trip – are likely to have a rematch in the $200,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 2.

Fed Biz won the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes for 4-year-olds by a head over 9-1 Tritap. Guilt Trip closed well from sixth in a field of nine to finish third, a half-length behind Tritap.

Bob Baffert trains Fed Biz and Guilt Trip.

“We thought Fed Biz would be the horse to beat if he ran his race,” Baffert said.

Baffert, who turned 60 on Sunday, said both Fed Biz and Guilt Trip would be pointed for the Grade 2 Strub Stakes over 1 1/8 miles “if they’re doing fine.”

The Strub Stakes is restricted to 4-year-olds and is a prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on March 2.

Tritap made his California stakes debut in the San Fernando. Breaking  from the outside post, he was wide throughout and got within a head of Fed Biz in the stretch. Fed Biz inherited the lead after the Baffert-trained Mile High Magic broke slowly.

Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said Tritap would “definitely” start in the Strub.

“We were happy with the horse came out of the race,” he said. “If everything goes well, we’ll run in the Strub. He’s headed in the right way.”

Fed Biz races for Kaleem Shah. The colt won the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 31, but lost his next three starts, including an eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here on Nov. 3 and a sixth in the Grade 1 Malibu for 3-year-old sprinters on Dec. 26. In the Malibu, Fed Biz became upset in the gate moments before the start. He was better behaved on Saturday.