Time – and distance – were on the side of Honor A. P. on Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby in his rivalry with Authentic.

Honor A. P. came up short of catching Authentic in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe Stakes back in March, but when they went 1 1/8 miles three months later, it was Honor A. P. who was the superior animal. He powered clear to a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $401,000 race while looking like the one who will be more appreciative of even more distance, and more time. His sights are clearly set on the Kentucky Derby.

Charlatan, who has crossed the finish line first in all three of his starts including a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, will not make the Belmont Stakes on June 20 or the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 due to an ankle injury, trainer Bob Baffert said Saturday.

“He came up with an issue,” Baffert said. “We saw that he had a tiny aggravation there, I wouldn’t call it a chip. They’ll clear it up. It will take him out of the Derby picture. He’ll be back by the fall.”

Three of the top 16 point earners for this year’s Kentucky Derby will be squaring off against one another Wednesday, not in a graded stakes at Belmont Park or Churchill Downs, but for a mere $55,000 purse going one mile under allowance conditions at Gulfstream Park.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Led by Tampa Bay Derby winner King Guillermo, such highly regarded runners as Pneumatic and Shooters Shoot, as well as the filly Swiss Skydiver and the high-priced auction buy Cezanne, a total of 22 3-year-olds were made eligible to the Triple Crown at the second deadline, which closed Wednesday after being postponed from March.

The list was released on Thursday by Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

On the day that the Triple Crown would have been concluding in New York, a race will be run in California that serves as a prep for a Kentucky Derby that is three months away instead of the usual gap of one month. So just add that to the lengthy list of “what else is new?” for 2020, as the Santa Anita Derby finally is held two months after its intended date.

Spendthrift Farm has acquired a majority interest in unbeaten Kentucky Derby hopeful Authentic, continuing to invest in its leading sire line. 

WHO’S HOT

Interruptions, one minor, then a bigger one beyond control, have been a theme through the brief, promising career of Honor A. P.

He missed a scheduled start in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita back in January owing to a foot bruise, which meant his 2020 debut in the San Felipe Stakes in March marked his first start in nearly five months. He ran strongly, finishing second to the highly regarded and unbeaten Authentic. It was seemingly an ideal prep for the Santa Anita Derby four weeks later.

Shooters Shoot

Competitive Edge – Repeat, by Bernardini

Bred in Kentucky by Nancy C. Shuford ($90,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds; $70,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Gary Mottola; $300,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring 2-year-old purchase by Exline-Border Racing)

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke will start the June portion of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting Friday with three wins in the three weeks since racing resumed May 15.

“I’m definitely back in the flow,” he said Sunday morning “I’ve won three races, which is better than none. I would have liked to have started off a little better. Hopefully, I can end it really strong.”