Free's horses to watch at Santa Anita for week of Feb. 17

ROCKET HEAT
Trainer: Vann Belvoir
Last race: Feb. 12, 6th
Finish: 1st by 9
Beyer: 70
A second-start maiden, gelded since first raced and dropping from special-weight to maiden-$30K, this 3-year-old set blazing fractions and ran away by many. Claimed by Belvoir from Jeff Bonde in a five-way shake, he fits right back in a starter allowance.

WOLF MAN ROCKET
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Feb. 14, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by 4 1/4
Beyer: 81
A promising debut by this $550,000 Mineshaft colt sets him up as a maiden winner soon. He raced in midpack, chased home the impressive odds-on winner (stablemate Power Jam), and ran like a colt who wants farther than six furlongs.

ENTRECHAT
Trainer: Neil Drysdale
Last race: Feb. 14, 7th
Finish: 1st by 4 1/2
Beyer: 79
A second-time starter, this 3-year-old Giant’s Causeway filly crushed maidens in faster time than a filly stakes a race later. Her dam was a stakes winner in Europe; her second dam is the sensational Grade 1 winner Kostroma. Up the ladder.

KISS MY FACE
Trainer: Leonard Powell
Last race: Feb. 15, 6th
Finish: 9th by 7 1/2
Beyer: 52
A 4-year-old first-timer in a statebred maiden turf sprint, she ran better than her finish position. Bet to 5-1, she broke slowly, steadied slightly on the inside halfway down the hill, and coasted to the wire. Maidens from this stable typically improve with racing.

PAIN AND MISERY
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Last race: Feb. 15, 8th
Finish: 2nd by neck
Beyer: 80
First start in fourth months with an ordinary work pattern, this shipper from Zia Park ran super in a turf-sprint stakes for 3-year-olds. He settled in midpack, angled out for room, rallied to the lead in deep stretch, and got collared. Make him a sleeper Derby candidate.