2024 San Vicente Stakes Contenders

Muth seeks to give Baffert his record 13th San Vicente win

Bob Baffert trained Muth, second to America's top rated Derby hopeful in his most recent start, cuts back in distance from two consecutive routes as he heads a group of six sophomores going seven furlongs in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, January 6.

A winner of the Grade I American Pharoah Stakes here on Oct. 7 and subsequently second, beaten 6 ¼ lengths by Todd Pletcher's presumptive 2-year-old champion Fierceness going a mile and one sixteenth in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Muth seeks to give Baffert his record 13th San Vicente win.

With Juan Hernandez named to ride, Baffert, who won last year's edition seeks his second win in a row with Santa Anita's leading rider and his fourth San Vicente victory in the last five years.

A $2 million Ocala Breeders Sales March 2-year-old in Training Sales purchase, Muth, who is by Good Magic, was off at 1-5 in his five furlong maiden debut four starts back here on June 18, a race in which he demolished his competition by 8 ¾ lengths.

Off at 1-2 going six panels in the Grade III Best Pal Aug. 13, he finished second to stablemate and eventual Grade I Del Mar Futurity winner Prince of Monaco. In his first try around two turns, Muth, off at 1-2, cruised to a 3 ¾ length win in the Grade I American Pharoah.

Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., Muth, with earnings of $596,600, will no doubt be a short-priced favorite with Hernandez, who seeks his third San Vicente win in-a-row, as he also took the 2022 edition with Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom.

Trainer Tim Yakteen's Moonlit Sonata, who was away slowly versus nine rival maidens in his 6 ½ furlong debut Nov. 25 at Del Mar, is a colt by Malibu Moon who would appear to have considerable upside in what will be his second start.

Away slowly in his debut, Moonlit Sonata, who will be ridden back by Geovanni Franco, was into contention while well within himself around the far turn and finished up like a colt that could improve considerably in his next out. A $75,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Moonlit Sonata, who was dismissed at 33-1 and earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure, is owned by Soma Racing Stables, Inc.

Baffert's Avis choice in the San Vicente is first-out maiden winner Pilot Commander, who like Moonlit Sonata, earned a 75 Beyer. A $700,000 OBS March 2-year-old in Training Sale graduate, Pilot Commander, who is by 2018 Triple Crown Champ Justify, led gate to wire, taking his six furlong debut on Nov. 11 at Del Mar by 2 ¼ lengths.

Off at 6-5 versus five rivals, Pilot Commander, who is owned by CSLR Racing Partners, LLC, was ridden by Hernandez, but will get the services of Flavien Prat, who seeks his first San Vicente score on Saturday.

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Boltage and Slider Get back On Dirt in San Vicente

The road to the GI Santa Anita Derby April 6 begins Saturday with the GII San Vicente for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on dirt, which attracted a field of six led by 4-5 morning-line favorite Muth for trainer Bob Baffert.

Among the rivals set to take on Muth, winner of the GI American Pharoah here going 1 1/16 miles Oct. 7, are Slider for trainer John Sadler and Boltage for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. Both Slider and Boltage return to dirt following multiple stakes efforts on turf.

Slider's first two starts came on dirt this summer at Del Mar, which included a sharp three-length maiden win going 5 ½ furlongs Sept. 9. A month later, the Jimmy Creed colt switched to turf for the five-furlong Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita and promptly scored by 1 ¼ lengths under Hector Berrios.

From there, it was on to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

"After he won the prep, we decided to go on with it," Sadler said of running on grass.

In the five-furlong Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint here Nov. 3, Slider couldn't keep up with a wicked pace of 20.71 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 43.65 seconds for the half. He would wind up ninth beaten three lengths by winner Big Evs.

"He wasn't beat that far," Sadler noted. "But those splits were crazy. I thought, `Could that be right?' They went faster than the older horses in the Turf Sprint. He was just out-quicked."

The following day In the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, the posted fractions were 21.15 seconds and 43.77 seconds. The winner, Nobals, came from some six lengths off the pace after the opening half mile to prevail by a neck.

"It's the Breeders' Cup and you would think the times were right, but that was pretty wild," Sadler said.

Slider (4-1) will be ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time Saturday. He has worked five times since the Breeders' Cup and Sadler is pleased with what he's seen.

"He's doing good, training well on the dirt," he added. "He had two good races on dirt back at Del Mar, no doubt about that. It makes sense to put him back on the dirt here."

Slider is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Hall Racing LLC and Pearl Racing. He was purchased for $240,000 at last year's OBS April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Boltage (12-1) will be making his first start on dirt since his debut at Del Mar July 23 when he checked in sixth while never a factor. After graduating going a mile on turf in his next start at Del Mar, he was made the even-money favorite in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf going a mile Sept. 10 and finished third. By Bolt d'Oro, Boltage most recently finished off the board in the GIII Zuma Beach at a mile on turf here Oct. 8.

"It's an experiment," Mandella said of the San Vicente. "I always thought he was a turf horse but I'm hoping I'm wrong. We'll find out." Boltage, a $240,000 auction buy as a yearling, is campaigned by Pin Oak Stud. Mandella said the San Vicente emerged as a potential spot in recent works. "He got a little rundown and tired so we gave him a little break," he added. "When he came back, we thought as good as he is training on dirt we might as well try it."

Boltage has four bullet works on the tab since Nov. 22, which includes back-to-back six-furlong drills. He will be ridden for the first time Saturday by Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

The San Vicente goes as the eighth race on Saturday's nine-race card. Post time is approximately 3:30 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Moonlit Sonata, Geovanni Franco (6-1); Slider, Joel Rosario (4-1); Muth, Juan Hernandez (4-5); Formidable Man, Kazushi Kimura (20-1); Boltage, Mike Smith (12-1).