Kingly makes money run for California Derby

Second to Anothertwistafate in the El Camino Real Derby here Feb. 16, Kingly makes a repeat trip from Santa Anita to Golden Gate Fields for Saturday’s $100,000 California Derby.

The California Derby (race 9) is among six stakes on the Saturday card, which is topped by the Grade 3, $250,000 San Francisco Mile.

Kingly, a son of Tapit, showed he was runner right from the start, dueling up front for most of a six-furlong maiden race at Del Mar in his debut last December and holding on for a three-quarter-length win. He finished second on a sloppy track at Santa Anita in his second start, a one-mile optional claimer, and that effort encouraged trainer Bob Baffert to send him to Golden Gate for the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real Derby on the Tapeta main track. Though beaten seven lengths by Anothertwistafate, Kingly finished a clear second in an 11-horse field in the El Camino Real Derby, and the effort looks even better now that Anothertwistafate has gone on to run second in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby and the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. Anothertwistafate is expected to make his next start in the Preakness.

Kingly’s main rivals in the 1 1/16-mile California Derby include Erlich, the 2-for-2 Visitant, as well as More Ice and Angelo’s Pride, third and fourth in the El Camino. Multiple stakes winner Sparky Ville also is coming north after winning the Grade 2 San Vicente, a seven-furlong sprint at Santa Anita in February.

Erlich, a 3-year-old Curlin colt, was privately purchased by Canadian Gordon Christoff after a front-running maiden win March 10 at Aqueduct that resulted in a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Previously trained by Kelly Breen, he is in trainer Blaine Wright’s care at Golden Gate but is eventually headed to Hastings in British Columbia.

Erlich has four works here in preparation for his stakes debut.

“He was awfully sharp when he galloped this morning,” Wright said Wednesday just before entering him.

Visitant won his debut sprinting and then won an optional claimer at a mile, both on the Tapeta here. The Ghostzapper colt is trained by John Martin.

“This horse is a nice horse,” Martin said. “He’s worked super and deserves a chance.”

Invaders strong in Oaks

Santa Anita invaders Apache Princess and Sold It look to have an edge over six locals in the $75,000 California Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta.

Apache Princess, trained by Keith Desormeaux, is the only stakes winner in the field, having won the Grade 3 Sweet Life in February at Santa Anita. The Sweet Life was taken off the downhill turf course and run at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Since that race, Apache Princess has finished fifth and eighth in stakes on turf at Santa Anita.

Sold It will probably have to be caught in the California Oaks. Trained by Doug O’Neill, she hasn’t raced since tiring to fourth in an optional claimer Feb. 1 on the Santa Anita turf, and before that butted heads with some of Southern California’s best fillies in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and Grade 1 Starlet.

Respect My Candor is coming off sprint wins in a $12,500 claiming race and a starter allowance. In her only try routing, she ran eighth on the Golden Gate turf in November, an effort trainer Bill McLean attributes to the surface rather than the distance.

◗ Bella Luma will be trying for a repeat in the $75,000 Golden Poppy, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares. Bella Luma wore blinkers when she won the Golden Poppy last year, and trainer Ed Moger Jr. is putting blinkers back on her. Bella Luma has lost her last four starts, three of which came in stakes.

The Golden Poppy is a tough spot, with Zaffinah coming north from Santa Anita for the first time after running third in the Grade 3 Megahertz and second in the Grade 3 Santa Ana in her two 2019 starts.

◗ Anyportinastorm has been traveling with Anothertwistafate to New Mexico and Kentucky, and he comes home for the $75,000 Lost in the Fog for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

Anyportinastorm, third in the Bill Thomas Memorial on March 24 at Sunland in his only start this year, has the stalking style to take advantage of the outside post in the Lost in the Fog. Wright said a five-furlong breeze Monday at Churchill Downs has Anyportinastorm on his toes.

“He had a super work at Churchill on Monday, but we decided to bring him home,” Wright said.

Stakes winners Tough Sunday, Touched by Autism, and Whatwasithinking are among the other entrants in the Lost in the Fog.

◗ Wright sends Alliford Bay in the $75,000 Camilla Urso for fillies and mares at five furlongs on the turf.

Alliford Bay ended last year on a five-race win streak, all stakes, In her only race this year, she finished third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the Tapeta.

Alliford Bay will have to beat a pair of Southern California stakes winners – S Y Sky and Go On Mary.