Brad Free’s top 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on March 16
AMERICAN PHAROAH re-emerged as California’s leading Kentucky Derby hope after his March 14 romp in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn. Though he is not expected to start in California until after the Triple Crown, American Pharoah is based here and therefore jumps to the top of the list over Santa Anita Derby probable starters DORTMUND and PROSPECT PARK. Bob Baffert trains American Pharoah and Dortmund.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner TEXAS RED posted his first workout since recovering from a foot abscess. He went an easy half-mile March 14 in 51.40. If he makes the Kentucky Derby, it will off just a single prep race – either the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 or, more likely, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 11.
As for the fillies, top-ranked CALLBACK is not expected to race in California anytime soon. She is headed to New Mexico as the presumptive favorite for the Sunland Oaks on March 22. If she runs well, it is on to the Kentucky Oaks. The Sunland-Kentucky double has been accomplished before. Plum Pretty won the Sunland Oaks and Kentucky Oaks in 2011. She was trained by Baffert, as is Callback.
The one change on the filly list is that LUMINANCE replaces CURLIN’S FOX. When they meet April 4 in the Santa Anita Oaks, it will be the first start on dirt for Curlin’s Fox, whose runner-up finish last out in the China Doll Stakes was better than it appears.
Below are the top five colts and geldings, and top three fillies.
Top 3-year-old colts and geldings at Santa Anita
1 – AMERICAN PHAROAH
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile-Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman
Last race: 1st in Rebel Stakes on March 14 at Oaklawn Park
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 100/101
Target race: Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn Park
Comment: The champion 2-year-old of 2014 returned March 14 from a layoff of more than five months to score a blowout win on a “sloppy” track at Oaklawn. After his fifth-place debut in August, American Pharoah has won three graded stakes by three and one-quarter lengths or more.
:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Fair Grounds | Gulfstream | Oaklawn
2 – DORTMUND
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Big Brown-Our Josephine, by Tale of the Cat
Last race: 1st in San Felipe on March 7 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 104/104
Target race: Santa Anita Derby, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: Undefeated after five starts, Dortmund is expected to start favored in the Santa Anita Derby. He benefitted from a relatively easy trip wiring the San Felipe, but he has run well also from off the pace. Dortmund has been favored in every start, odds-on in his last four.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
3 – PROSPECT PARK
Trainer: Cliff Sise
Pedigree: Tapit-Quiet Romance, by Bertrando
Last race: 2nd in San Felipe on March 7 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 102/102
Target race: Santa Anita Derby, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: After a facile allowance win vs. suspect foes, Prospect Park established his class with a good runner-up finish in the San Felipe. He rallied from sixth, negotiated traffic, and finished evenly. He seems to want every bit of a mile and a quarter.
4 – FIRING LINE
Trainer: Simon Callaghan
Pedigree: Line of David-Sister Girl Blues, by Hold for Gold
Last race: 2nd in Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 104/104
Target race: Sunland Derby, March 22 at Sunland Park
Comment: After losing back-to-back heart-breakers to Dortmund, Firing Line will ship to New Mexico for the Sunland Derby. Firing Line worked five furlongs March 15 in 59.80 and figures tough to beat at Sunland in a race expected to be his final start before the Kentucky Derby.
:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker
5 – BOLO
Trainer: Carla Gaines
Pedigree: Temple City-Aspen Mountain, by Chief Seattle
Last race: 3rd in San Felipe on March 7 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 101/101
Target race: Santa Anita Derby, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: A good third last out in his first start on dirt, and first start in more than two months, gives Bolo a longshot look in the Santa Anita Derby. Bolo gave Dortmund a brief scare in the San Felipe before he retreated to third.
Top 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita
1 – CALLBACK
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Street Sense-Quickest, by Forest Wildcat
Last race: 1st in Las Virgenes on Jan. 31 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/90
Target race: Sunland Park Oaks, March 22 at Sunland
Comment: An improving pattern led to a front-running Las Virgenes win. She is by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and her dam is a sibling to Derby winner Super Saver. Callback worked six furlongs in 1:13.60 on March 12, and is expected to be favored at Sunland.
2 - STELLAR WIND
Trainer: John Sadler
Pedigree: Curlin-Evening Star, by Malibu Moon
Last race: 1st in Santa Ysabel on Feb. 28 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 91/91
Target race: Santa Anita Oaks, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: The jump from Laurel maiden to Grade 3 at Santa Anita did not deter Stellar Wind, who will be among the favorites in the Santa Anita Oaks. She is bred to go long, and was just getting warmed up last time at 1 1/16 miles.
3 – LUMINANCE
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Tale of the Cat-Siren Serenade, by Unbridled’s Song
Last race: 1st in allowance on Feb. 28 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 81/87
Target race: Santa Anita Oaks, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: Everything went wrong for Luminance in her comeback, yet she won anyway. She was off slowly and raced wide, and won a stretch battle with a racing-fit filly while making her first start in seven months. Her relatively low Beyer does not do her justice.