San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Las Vegas, NV - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California hosts the important Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes this Saturday, March 9. Three year old Kentucky Derby hopefuls will be after the winner's share of the $300,000 purse and the 50 points toward the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" when they go 1 1/16 miles on Santa Anita's dirt track. They will also be using this race as a tune-up for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 6.
A strong group of eight three year olds will line up in the San Felipe - race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:35 PM. Let's take a look at the credentials of all eight entries and what brought them to this most important Grade 2 stakes.
2013 San Felipe Stakes Race Favorites
Flashback - Bob Baffert colt has been impressive in two career starts - a Maiden Special Weight score by 3 1/2 lengths as favorite at Hollywood Park December 8 was followed by a terrific win in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis February 2 by 6 1/4 lengths on this track. The word is out on Flashback.
Goldencents - has four career starts - the first was a Maiden Special Weight score by 7 1/4 lengths at Del Mar September 2 and the second was a second place finish to highly touted Shanghai Bobby in the Grade 1 Foxwoods Champaign at Belmont Park October 6. He is coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes over Den's Legacy here January 5 after another win in the $1 million Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot over Bern Identity November 17 at Delta Downs in gate-to-wire fashion. Trainer Doug O'Neil certainly has a Derby contender in Goldencents - a win here would go a long way in proving this point.
San Felipe Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Hear The Ghost - has two career starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer - a good second last time out in the San Pedro Stakes here January 21 after a Maiden Special Weight score in his debut at 16-1 odds at Hollywood Park December 15.
Tiz a Minister - has a staggering nine career starts already with two wins, four seconds and a third place finish. He is coming off a nice win in the California Breeders Champion Stakes - his best ever result. Saturday marks Tiz a Minister's graded stakes debut.
San Felipe Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Omega Star - John Sherreffs trained colt had a second last time out to Tiz a Minister in the California Breeders Champion Stakes here January 26. Before that was a maiden score here December 31 in his second career start.
Salutos Amigos - races in stakes company for the first time after three MSW races produced a win last time out by 3 3/4 lengths, a fourth and a second - all on this track.
Kochees - will be making his stakes debut for trainer Michael Pender after a fourth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming here January 31 and a MSW score in his debut - on this track January 4.
Carving - Bob Baffert pupil has six career starts with three wins with an OK fourth in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate February 16, a fourth at the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes in September at Santa Anita and a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity. He has two minor stakes wins under his belt - the Real Quiet at Hollywood Park November 10 and the C.B. Afflerbaugh Stakes at Fairplex Park September 12 so we now that Carving can produce against top competition despite a poor few outings.
