San Felipe contenders all have questions to answer
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ARCADIA, Calif. – Got questions about California 3-year-olds? The Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes has the answers Saturday at Santa Anita.
Is the $3 million colt Brant as good as last summer? Winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Brant is even money in the $200,000 San Felipe. He is no cinch to win the 1 1/16-mile race while making his first start in four months.
Can 2-for-2 sprinter So Happy stay two turns? Winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs, So Happy is the 2-1 second choice in the San Felipe. If he reproduces the 96 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in the San Vicente, he can win the San Felipe. It’s a big ask.
As for Secured Freedom, he answered the two-turn question with a wide-trip third in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis at a mile. Can he run two alike? Secured Freedom is listed at 8-1. His price could be half that.
Seven are entered in the San Felipe, which offers 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner and virtually guarantees a Derby berth. The San Felipe runner-up will earn 25. The only San Felipe entrants with Derby points are Brant (9 points) and Secured Freedom (6).
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The San Felipe also includes Potente, a $2.4 million colt who won his sprint debut; Start the Ride, winner of the California Cup Derby; and outsiders Robusta and Flashy Fritz. The San Felipe is race 8 on an 11-race card with four graded stakes.
Brant is behind schedule.
“I was trying to make the Rebel with him,” trainer Bob Baffert said, referring to the Grade 2 race last Sunday at Oaklawn Park. Brant was not ready.
“He’ll barely be ready for this, but he’s doing well. He’s got a lot of class,” Baffert said.
Florent Geroux rides Brant. Although he is arguably the best horse in the field, even money is awfully short for a horse making his first start in four months. Baffert also entered Potente.
So Happy will make his third career start and first around two turns.
“Stretching out is a big-boy step,” trainer Mark Glatt said, “but all signs are pointing that he can get the distance, and that he’ll run well. He gives [jockey Mike Smith] a good feeling about being able to stretch out.”
“It’s not like he’s on fumes at the wire, he’s running,” Smith said. “He doesn’t seem in distress, so far, after his sprints. It’s not like he pulls up [blowing hard]. He just does what he has to do.”
Favorites have won the San Felipe seven times in the last 11 years, but one could argue second choice So Happy is the most likely winner. So Happy is by Runhappy. Discussion about races beyond 1 1/16 miles are on hold.
Secured Freedom dominated maiden sprinters second time out, then stretched to a mile in the Robert B. Lewis. His third-place finish was super considering he was up against it from the beginning. Tim Yakteen trains Secured Freedom.
The Lewis “didn’t unfold the way it looked on paper for us,” Yakteen said. “We didn’t break super clean that day, so we got a wide trip. I think one takeaway is there was a question whether he could get the distance or not. And I think he sort of answered that question.”
Wide start to finish, Secured Freedom finished well and galloped out in front of winner Plutarch and runner-up Intrepido. Plutarch is sidelined. Intrepido is aiming to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4 along with Cherokee Nation. Kazushi Kimura rides Secured Freedom.
Potente, by Into Mischief, won his sprint debut Jan. 31, but his race was not fast and he earned a 79 Beyer. But Baffert believes he wants to route.
“I didn’t think he’d win [first out], I think he’s two turns,” Baffert said. “I was going to take him to [Oaklawn] and run him in an allowance race, but he’s a little tough. I’d rather just give him a spin here.”
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Since 1990, no second-time starter has won San Felipe.
Start the Ride won the California Cup Derby with a 76 Beyer, and trainer Dan Blacker acknowledged the Upstart colt faces a class test in the San Felipe.
“The one thing I know about this horse is the longer the races get, the better he’s going to be. It’s just a question of if he‘s good enough.”
Armando Ayuso rides Start the Ride.
Blacker also entered claiming sprinter Flashy Fritz, a 30-1 shot who would influence the pace.
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