The Great One possible for San Felipe Stakes next

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Great One may turn out to be that good after a 14-length win in a maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Saturday.

In his first start since a surprise second by a nose at 33-1 in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19, The Great One cruised to an easy win in a one-mile race Saturday, in a performance that may lead to an appearance in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stake at Santa Anita on March 6.

“I love the timing of that,” trainer Doug O’Neill said Sunday. “I think it’s a strong possibility.”

The $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is a key prep to the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

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The win by The Great One was the start of an outstanding afternoon for O’Neill, who later won the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes for sprinters with Wildman Jack.

The Great One had his fifth start on Saturday. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, The Great One (8-5) stalked 11-10 favorite Fenway to the turn before taking a commanding lead. He finished in 1:37.28, and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

“He showed up and ran a big race,” O’Neill said.

By Nyquist, who gave O’Neill his second career win in the Kentucky Derby in 2016, The Great One races for the partnership of Erik Johnson, Train Wreck Al Racing Stable, Niall Brennan, Tom Fritz, and William Strauss.

“I didn’t think he’d win that easy,” Cedillo said. “Even in the gallop-out, I couldn’t stop him.”

Wildman Jack won the first stakes of his career in course-record time on turf in Dubai last March. A 5-year-old gelding, Wildman Jack may be bound for Dubai again this spring after an attractive win in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

O’Neill said Wildman Jack is nominated for two Group 1 races at six furlongs at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 27 - the $1.5 million Golden Shaheen on dirt and the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint on turf.

“There is plenty of time to think about it,” O’Neill said of a possible overseas journey. “We know he likes it over there.”

At this time last year, O’Neill had a small stable in Dubai. Wildman Jack won the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint in course-record time of 1:07.61 for about six furlongs last March, but did not run in the Al Quoz after that race day, headlined by the Dubai World Cup program, was cancelled because of the pandemic.

In the Palos Verdes, Wildman Jack stalked pacesetter Captain Scotty to the turn and pulled away under Cedillo to win by 4 1/4 lengths. The $201,500 Palos Verdes was the first stakes win on dirt for Wildman Jack, who was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7 after leading by a length at the eighth pole.

Wildman Jack finished sixth of seven as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes at six furlongs on turf on Jan. 1, a loss that left O’Neill surprised.

“His energy and his bloodwork said the last race was a throw-out,” O’Neill said.

Owned by Glenn Sorgenstein, Wildman Jack has won 5 of 14 starts and earned $559,505. The Palos Verdes was his second career start on dirt. Last August, Wildman Jack was fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar.