Shirreffs, Baffert well stocked with 3-year-olds for 2020

ARCADIA, Calif. – John Shirreffs plays the long game. He takes his time with his young horses, hoping the payoff comes later. He has laid the foundation to be a major player this winter in the 3-year-old ranks, which annually is one of the highlights of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting that begins Saturday.

Shirreffs trains at least three colts – Express Train, Honor A. P., and Thunder Code – who look to have the talent to be top prospects for races like the Santa Anita Derby later this spring. He has a filly – Classy Ruler – who could develop into a Santa Anita Oaks candidate. All have been handled with those kind of races in mind.

“Those are the kind of horses I like. I’m not precocious,” Shirreffs said.

Honor A. P., a romping maiden winner going a mile last time out, will be up first for Shirreffs. He is slotted for the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes on Jan. 4, the first race of the meet for newly turned 3-year-olds that offers points toward a berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 2. The preps come once a month, with the Grade 3, $100,000 Robert Lewis on Feb. 1, then the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe on March 7, and finally the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

Express Train, idle since the American Pharoah in September, and Thunder Code, second last time out behind Thousand Words in a Santa Anita maiden race, should be back by March, in time for two Derby preps, Shirreffs said.

Classy Ruler, who ran on well for second in her sprint debut, will stretch out next time in hopes that she’ll take a forward step toward the Grade 2, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks on April 4.

Per usual around here, Bob Baffert figures to have multiple candidates for the important 3-year-old races. A nine-time winner of the Santa Anita Derby, Baffert’s deep roster is topped by Thousand Words and High Velocity – first and third earlier this month in the Los Alamitos Futurity – and debut winner Authentic. Thousand Words will make his next start in the Lewis or San Felipe, Baffert said, and could have a rematch there with Anneau d’Or, runner-up in the Futurity after finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Baffert also has some promising runners who have yet to start, including the Street Sense colt Mastering and the American Pharoah filly Merneith.

His best filly is Bast, a three-time Grade 1 winner who won the Starlet on Dec. 7 at Los Alamitos. She could come right back in the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Ynez on Jan. 5, in which she could face the Don Chatlos-trained maiden winner Mundaye Call.

Golden Principal, who beat Classy Ruler when debuting Nov. 30, will likely await a two-turn race.

“I don’t want to get in a hurry with her,” Baffert said.

Donna Veloce, runner-up to Bast in the Starlet after finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is “getting a little break and will point toward a race in March,” trainer Simon Callaghan said.

Callaghan’s best Derby prospect likely is Great Power, who won his debut on Sept. 29 but has been off since.

“He’s back in training. Looking toward a March comeback,” Callaghan said.

The most-accomplished male on the grounds is Storm the Court, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, who had his first work since then Sunday. He is likely to await the San Felipe for his 3-year-old debut. His trainer, Peter Eurton, also trains the talented Royal Act, a debut winner going long on turf at Del Mar who, being by American Pharoah, should get a chance on dirt.

The best American Pharoah male seen out here to date is American Theorem, runner-up in the race named for his sire.

“He’s back in training, should be ready in early March,” said his trainer, George Papaprodromou. “Two preps to the Derby.”

Also on the comeback trail is Collusion Illusion, who won his first two starts at Del Mar, including the Best Pal, before a dreadful effort in the American Pharoah. He is pointing to the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente on Feb. 9, trainer Mark Glatt said.

Richard Mandella said he’ll likely try the colt Goliad on dirt this winter after another scheduled start on turf in the Eddie Logan on Sunday, and he thinks recent maiden winner Rare Find has the potential to be an Oaks-quality filly.

Emblematic of the importance of this division at Santa Anita is that the meet’s first race is for soon-to-be 3-year-olds, with the well-regarded Devil Made Me Doit finally debuting for trainer Doug O’Neill after being close to a start this summer. His rivals in the six-furlong race include Moon Mischief, third in a maiden race behind Authentic last time out.

O’Neill is one of several trainers who could have a division at Oaklawn this winter, and O’Neill will have a division in Dubai, too, among the many factors that could impact field size in stakes races here this meet.