Thousand Words tries to stay unbeaten in Robert Lewis Stakes

The first Saturday in February doesn’t quite have the same ring as the first Saturday in May. But it certainly means the Kentucky Derby is drawing ever closer, a fact made more evident by the high-profile horses in action Saturday, when four Grade 3 dirt stakes for 3-year-olds will be contested, three of which are two-turn races that offer points towards the May 2 Derby at Churchill Downs.

The one with the least amount of prize money, the $100,000 Robert Lewis at one mile at Santa Anita, is headlined by the unbeaten Thousand Words, who comes off a victory in the Los Alamitos Futurity and is ranked atop the West’s 3-year-olds.

At Aqueduct, Shotski heads a field of eight in the $250,000 Withers going 1 1/8 miles, the same distance at which he won the Remsen last time out.

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And at Gulfstream, the $250,000 Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles marks the 3-year-old debut of Tiz the Law, who impressed with a win in the Grade 1 Champagne before underperforming in the Kentucky Jockey Club in his final start at 2. His rivals include Ete Indien, a sharp allowance winner in his dirt debut Dec. 20 at Gulfstream.

Gulfstream’s undercard also includes the $150,000 Swale, a seven-furlong race that does not offer points towards the Derby but features horses who could move on to the Fountain of Youth there four weeks hence. That field is topped by Green Light Go, winner of the Saratoga Special and runner-up in the Champagne, and Untitled, who got a monster Beyer Speed Figure of 98 in his debut in December at Gulfstream for trainer Ralph Nicks. He was privately purchased following the race by a partnership that includes Gary Barber, who also co-owns Shotski, and turned over to trainer Mark Casse.

The Lewis, Withers, and Holy Bull all are worth 17 points overall, with 10 to the winner.

Thousand Words already has 10 points to his credit, courtesy of the Los Alamitos Futurity. His career has been a replica of that of the now 5-year-old McKinzie to this point. He won his debut sprinting at Santa Anita during the fall meet, then stretched out around two turns for his second start and won the Los Alamitos Futurity going 1 1/16 miles. In the Los Alamitos Futurity, he held off Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Anneau d’Or to win by a neck while earning a Beyer Figure of 91.

“I was really impressed with the way he held that other horse off,” his trainer, Bob Baffert, said Thursday morning. “It looked like the other horse was going to collar him and go by him easy, but he kicked back into gear and then he galloped out well.”

Thousand Words has worked regularly since that race, including drills every Monday in January, just easy breezes to move him along.

“He’s not a horse who needs a lot of work,” Baffert said.

Thousand Words, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, was a $1 million yearling buy.

“He’s a big, long-striding horse,” Baffert said. “Distance won’t be a problem.”

Distance is still a question, though, for High Velocity, who faded to third in the Los Alamitos Futurity after setting the early pace. He too is trained by Baffert, and is one of five entered against Thousand Words.

“I was really disappointed in his race at Los Alamitos,” Baffert said. “He shipped down there, got hot, got rank.

“He worked really well the other day,” Baffert said, referring to a six-furlong gate drill in 1:12.80 last Sunday.

Baffert said he initially considered awaiting the seven-furlong San Vicente on Feb. 9 at Santa Anita – scheduled to be the 3-year-old debut for champion colt Storm the Court – but changed his mind after that work. “I want to give him another chance going two turns,” said Baffert, who has Joel Rosario trying his luck for the first time with High Velocity.

Tizamagician, runner-up in four of his first five starts, comes off a win against maidens at Santa Anita in which he earned a career-best Beyer Figure of 85. He is by Tiznow, so he only figures to get better with more racing.

“He surely looked like he turned the corner last time. Now it’s a matter of if he’s good enough to jump up with this group,” said his trainer, Richard Mandella.

Encoder and Royal Act are both trying dirt for the first time after racing exclusively on turf.

Encoder, by English Channel, won the Eddie Logan on Dec. 29 under Rosario. Mike Smith takes over for John Sadler.

Royal Act was fifth in the Eddie Logan after a debut win against maidens at Del Mar. He adds blinkers and gets Abel Cedillo for the first time. He is trained by Peter Eurton, who trains Storm the Court.

Zimba Warrior, a distant third in the Sham on Jan. 4 in his two-turn debut, completes the field.

The Lewis goes as race 6 on the nine-race card, which begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.