Bob Baffert's supremacy in the 3-year-old stakes program at Santa Anita Park should continue March 3 when the Southern California track hosts the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2). The Hall of Famer trainer has won the 1 1/16-mile dirt race a record eight times, including on four occasions since 2015.
He has three chances in Sunday's five-horse field to pick up a ninth victory, with the unbeaten Nysos supported by the grade 1-placed Wine Me Up and the promising Imagination.
With Baffert and his horses ineligible to race in the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1)—owing to Churchill Downs Inc. extending its ban of the trainer from racing at its tracks—only Scatify, trained by John Sadler, and Mc Vay, a maiden conditioned by John Shirreffs, can earn qualifying points Sunday. Points are distributed on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale to eligible top five finishers.
The San Felipe is the final local dirt prep for the April 6 Santa Anita Derby (G1). Baffert horses could then pursue the second leg of the Triple Crown, the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1), a classic at Pimlico Race Course he has captured eight times, including last year with National Treasure while he was under the ban by CDI stemming from Medina's Spirit's equine medication violation in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Baoma Corp's Nysos, 3-for-3 and the morning-line favorite in ongoing future wagering for the Preakness, is listed at 1-5 on the morning-line odds for the San Felipe. A 10 1/2-length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Santa Anita Oct. 21, he followed that race up by taking Del Mar's Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs by 8 3/4 lengths Nov. 19.
Stretched out to a mile, the son of Nyquist was a handy winner of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) Feb. 3 at Santa Anita, winning by 7 1/2 lengths from off the pace under regular rider Flavien Prat.
Video
Runner-up to Nysos in the Lewis, speedy stablemate Wine Me Up is twice stakes-placed, having also been second to Muth in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) last fall. The son of Vino Rosso is 1-2-0 in five starts with earnings of $181,200 for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Juan Hernandez rides.
Baffert's third entrant, Imagination, has been first or second in all four of his starts, including in a quickly run first-level allowance optional claimer Feb. 11 at Santa Anita when outgamed by a neck by his well-regarded barnmate Maymun. Frankie Dettori picks up the ride on the Into Mischief colt, who races for a large partnership that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Bob Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan.
The two threats to the Baffert trio, West Point Thoroughbreds' Scatify and C R K Stable's Mc Vay, ran third and fourth in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and need improvement to upset.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, March 3, 2024, Race 6Entries: DK Horse San Felipe S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Scatify (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 John W. Sadler 6/1 2 2Wine Me Up (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Bob Baffert 8/1 3 3Nysos (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Bob Baffert 1/5 4 4Mc Vay (KY) Antonio Fresu 120 John A. Shirreffs 15/1 5 5Imagination (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 120 Bob Baffert 6/1
