Storm the Court likely to stay home for San Felipe, one of five March 7 stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Storm the Court, the champion 2-year-old male of 2019 who was fourth in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 9, is likely to start in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 7 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Peter Eurton and the partnership that owns the colt had considered races such as the Rebel Stakes on March 14 at Oaklawn Park, but Eurton said Friday that the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles has appeal.

“We’re probably staying here,” Eurton said. “Doing a lot of travel can take a toll on a horse. We want to keep that to a minimum as much as I can.”

Storm the Court was beaten 2 1/4 lengths by the highly regarded Nadal in the San Vicente at seven furlongs. He was third on the turn and was beaten a neck for third by Fast Enough, winner of the California Cup Derby for statebreds in January, who may start in the San Felipe.

In the San Felipe, Storm the Court will face a tough field in a prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Trainer Bob Baffert is planning to start the stakes winners Authentic and Thousand Words. Honor A. P., a maiden race winner in October, will have his 3-year-old debut in the San Felipe.

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Eurton did not rule out changing his mind, or considering an additional start in an April stakes away from California, such as the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes on April 4 at Keeneland.

“I’ve got time to travel if I want to go to the Blue Grass,” he said.

The San Felipe is part of a program of five stakes that is the second-richest day of the winter-spring meeting in terms of stakes prize money. The Santa Anita Derby program has six stakes worth a combined $2.1 million.

The richest race on the March 7 program is the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles. The race is led by Gift Box, who won the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 28, and Midcourt, who won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Feb. 1.

Others pointing for the race are Two Thirty Five, second in the San Pasqual, and the Florida shipper Endorsed, who was fourth in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga last August and won an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option on Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park in his only subsequent start.

The Big Cap field will not include Higher Power, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here last November, but last of 10 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25.

Friday, Higher Power worked five furlongs in a quick 59 seconds. He is expect to start in the $350,000 Essex Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on March 14 at Oaklawn Park, trainer John Sadler said.

The March 7 program includes the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf and the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs.

The $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile candidates include Desert Stone, Frontier Market, River Boyne, and True Valour. River Boyne won the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 8.

The projected starters for the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes include Flagstaff, who won the Damascus Stakes here in November; Roadster, who won the 2019 Santa Anita Derby; and Law Abidin Citizen, who has not raced since a win in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs last August.