Cee Drew and Start the Ride were part of a milestone day for trainer Dan Blacker at Santa Anita on Jan. 17, the first time in his 15-year career he won two stakes on the same day. That day, Cee Drew won the $175,000 California Cup Oaks for statebred fillies on turf as the 2-1 second choice. Start the Ride won the $175,500 California Cup Derby at 13-1 in his first official start. They are part of stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, and this time both are longshots. Cee Drew drew the inside post in a field of eight in the $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for statebred fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt. Start the Ride is an outsider in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, California’s leading prep race for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2. Blacker trains the pair for Harris Farms. :: Santa Anita Classic Meet! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more. Start the Ride followed his win in the California Cup Derby with a sixth-place finish in his graded stakes debut, the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 7. The first three finishers of that race – Potente, Robusta, and So Happy – are part of the field for the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby, the richest race of the track’s winter-spring meeting. Start the Ride was 26-1 in the San Felipe. He broke slowly and was at the back of the field throughout. Last Saturday, Blacker worked Start the Ride from the gate to aid his gate manners. “I worked him from the gate to sharpen him,” Blacker said. “We didn’t want to get left behind like we did in the last race. I hope he can get into group and that will help his chances. He’s a little immature mentally. He’s improving a lot with time.” The Santa Anita Derby will be Start the Ride’s third official start. On Nov. 16 at Del Mar, Start the Ride was declared a non-starter in a maiden race for California-breds after the stewards ruled that the colt was held by an assistant starter the moment the gates opened and was not afforded a clean break. Blacker, 44, knows Start the Ride will need by far his best career effort to play any sort of role in the Santa Anita Derby. The goal is to “run in the top three and hit the board,” Blacker said. “That would be great.” Cee Drew followed her win in the California Cup Oaks with a fifth-place finish in a field of seven in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 8, her first start on dirt. The first three finishers of that race – Forced Entry, Bank Shot, and French Blue – are entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on dirt. :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby day. Cee Drew won her first start in a maiden race at six furlongs on turf for California-breds last October, a win that gives Blacker confidence the filly can be a factor at the distance of the Evening Jewel. “It’s more of the dirt that is the question mark,” he said. “She’s proven herself on the grass. We’d love to run on the grass. There are no options for her against Cal-breds.” Blacker said an allowance race for open company at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Saturday was considered for Cee Drew before the Evening Jewel Stakes was selected. “We’d like to give her one chance sprinting on dirt against California-breds,” he said. “We’re running on her least-preferred surface. Having said that, she’s worked well on dirt and that’s why we’re willing to take a shot. “I think cutting back in distance will be beneficial. I think past a mile is a reach for her on any surface. Cutting back is something I’m willing to try.” This year, Blacker has won three stakes, including the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes in February with El Potente, who was later second by a half-length to 31-1 Final Boss as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 7. Blacker said El Potente’s next start is scheduled for the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita on May 25. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.