McKinzie, Bolt d'Oro scaring them away from Santa Anita Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 7 may have one of its smallest fields in recent history, and the presence of the two leading 3-year-olds in the nation – Bolt d’Oro and McKinzie – is largely to blame.

McKinzie and Bolt d’Oro, both Grade 1 winners as 2-year-olds, were first and second, separated by a head, in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 10. McKinzie was disqualified and placed second behind Bolt d’Oro for causing interference in the stretch.

Not many rival owners and trainers seem willing to oppose the pair in California’s leading Triple Crown prep. As of Friday, Instilled Regard, winner of the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds earlier this year, is a probable starter. Trainer Keith Desormeaux said he is considering the race for Ayacara, who was fifth, beaten 16 lengths by McKinzie, in the San Felipe.

Desormeaux said Friday that leading Triple Crown preps at Aqueduct, Keeneland, and Oaklawn Park have crossed his mind for Ayacara.

“It might be a wise choice to get away from those monsters,” he said of Bolt d’Oro and McKinzie. “It doesn’t matter where you go. It’s all tough.

“If you go to the Wood Memorial, you’ve got Solomini. If you go to the Blue Grass, you face Good Magic. If you go to the Arkansas Derby, there’s Justify.”

The Santa Anita Derby field has ranged from five to 13 starters in this century. In 2015, Dortmund was part of a field of six in the Santa Anita Derby. There was a record low of five runners in 2005 when the race was won by Brother Derek. Last year, Gormley won in a field of 13, the largest field since 1981.

The $1 million Santa Anita Derby is run at 1 1/8 miles and is the track’s richest race.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis

The Santa Anita Derby is one of seven stakes on the April 7 program. Among them is the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles, which is a leading prep race for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4. Midnight Bisou, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes here in January and the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes here in February, is expected to be favored in the $400,000 race.

Her main rivals are likely to be Exuberance, who was second in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes here Feb. 4, and Spectator, who won an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on March 18 in her first start of 2018.

“She came out of the race in good shape,” trainer Phil D’Amato said of Spectator on Friday. “She had to run against older that day and showed some gameness.”

Last summer, Spectator won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes and was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante before being sidelined with a minor injury, D’Amato said at the time.

The April 7 program also includes the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes, a $200,000 race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf, and the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies. There are two $200,000 races for California-bred 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs – the Echo Eddie Stakes for both sexes and the Evening Jewel Stakes for fillies.

Several of the nation’s leading Arabian-bred runners are expected to start in the $100,000 Sheikh Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes, which is being held for a third year.