Brad Free's top 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on March 2
The role of favorite for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes became crystal clear with confirmation from owner Kaleem Shah that DORTMUND will run in the 1 1/16-mile race this Saturday, rather than wait for the Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
Dortmund is 4 for 4, including a thrilling victory in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7. Trainer Bob Baffert originally indicated he would skip the San Felipe and wait for the Santa Anita Derby. Those plans changed. Dortmund is certain to start favored in a good San Felipe lineup.
Likely starters include OCHO OCHO OCHO, 3 for 3 and making his first start since November; PROSPECT PARK, a dominating allowance winner Jan. 30; and LORD NELSON, the “other” Baffert trying to prove he can stay two turns. Other probable starters include BOLO, PAIN AND MISERY, and THE GOMPER.
While racing-fit Dortmund and Lord Nelson continue to campaign for Baffert, the trainer’s best 3-year-old is making significant progress toward his comeback. AMERICAN PHAROAH, champion 2-year-old of 2014, has targeted the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park for his return on March 14. He has not started since late September.
:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Fair Grounds | Gulfstream | Oaklawn
The 3-year-old filly division received two welcome boosts. STELLAR WIND scored an impressive win in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel on Feb. 28; LUMINANCE won her allowance-race comeback in better-than-looked fashion the same day. Those two could meet CALLBACK and others in the Grade 1 Santa Oaks on April 4.
Below are the top five colts and geldings, and top three fillies.
Top 3-year-old colts & geldings at Santa Anita
1 – DORTMUND
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Big Brown-Our Josephine, by Tale of the Cat
Last race: 1st in Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer / Best Beyer: 103 / 103
Target race: San Felipe Stakes, March 7 at Santa Anita
Comment: The massive colt was expected to train into the Santa Anita Derby, but apparently is doing so well Baffert and Shah opted to start him in the San Felipe. A week after an easy half-mile workout in 49 seconds, Dortmund stretched to seven furlongs Feb. 26. His workout time was 1:25.60. A good colt in peak condition, Dortmund is the horse to beat in the San Felipe.
2 – PROSPECT PARK
Trainer: Cliff Sise
Pedigree: Tapit-Quiet Romance, by Bertrando
Last race: 1st in allowance race on Jan. 30 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer / Best Beyer: 93 / 93
Target race: San Felipe, March 7 at Santa Anita
Comment: His pedigree is classy; his dam produced Grade 1 winner Silent Sighs. His ability was evident Jan. 30 when he put it all together in his fifth start to dominate allowance foes. The next question facing Prospect Park is class. The San Felipe will be his first start against graded stakes company. He has been working once a week and will enter on a conspicuous pattern of improvement.
3 – AMERICAN PHAROAH
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile-Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman
Last race: 1st in Front Runner on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer / Best Beyer: 101 / 101
Target race: Rebel Stakes, March 14 at Oaklawn Park
Comment: Though he has not started since September, the champion 2-year-old is training well for his first start at age 3. He won a pair of Grade 1’s last year, and is expected to ship to Oaklawn for the Rebel. That leaves time for only one more prep race into the Kentucky Derby. American Pharoah worked seven furlongs in 1:23.80 on Feb. 27.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
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: 103 / 103
Target race: Sunland Derby, March 22 at Sunland Park
Comment: Improving each start based on speed figures, Firing Line lost back-to-back heart-breakers to Dortmund. He lost the Lewis after seemingly putting away his rival; he lost the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity two back after making the lead at the eighth pole. Perhaps he has distance limitations. Firing Line will dodge Dortmund by shipping to Sunland later this month. Firing Line worked a sharp five furlongs Feb. 27 in 59.60 seconds.
5 – LORD NELSON
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Pulpit-African Jade, by Seeking the Gold
Last race: 1st in San Vicente on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer / Best Beyer: 91 / 92
Target race: San Felipe on March 7 at Santa Anita
Comment: Three sprints produced three wins. Two routes produced two off-the-board finishes. He had excuses both distance races – a wide trip in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs; his fourth in the Grade 1 FrontRunner in September was only his second start. Gut feeling is he is a notch below the best, but his current form is sharp and he will be a contender in the San Felipe.
Honorable mention: BOLO, OCHO OCHO OCHO, PAIN AND MISERY, TEXAS RED, THE GOMPER
:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker
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: Santa Anita Oaks, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: A steadily improving pattern led to a front-running win last out in a Grade 1 route. Sired by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, her dam is a sibling to Derby winner Super Saver. Callback is versatile, has speed and likely will continue to improve. Her last-out win in the Las Virgenes was partly validated when the filly she beat (Light the City) returned to finish second in the Santa Ysabel.
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: 90 / 90
Target race: Santa Anita Oaks, April 4 at Santa Anita
Comment: Purchased privately by Hronis Racing and shipped to California following an eight-length maiden win at Laurel, this filly’s Santa Ysabel was strong. She raced within striking range of a slow pace, rallied wide and pulled away. At 1 1/16 miles, she was just getting warmed up. The competition gets tougher in the Santa Anita Oaks, but this filly figures to start as favorite, or second favorite.
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: To be determined
Comment: She won her comeback by only a nose, but it was impressive. She broke slowly, got shuffled back slightly at the three-quarters, rallied wide and outfinished a racing-fit filly while making her first start in seven months. Luminance is 2 for 2. The best is yet to come.
Honorable mention: ENTRECHAT, LIGHT THE CITY, SEDUIRE, SENSITIVELY, SHARLA RAE, WILD AT HEART