Derby Hopeful Charlatan Will Try a Mile at Santa Anita

Two years after ending the 136-year "Curse of Apollo" when eventual Triple Crown winner Justify  became the first horse to capture the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) after being unraced at 2, Justify's trainer, Bob Baffert, has secured a race out of the Justify playbook for his latest debut-winning 3-year-old colt, Charlatan.

The 3-year-old son of Speightstown  is entered against a field of five other sophomores in the sixth race at Santa Anita Park March 14, a first-level allowance at a mile on the main track—similar to how Justify was spotted during this approximate period in 2018. It will be his first start going a route after he burst on the scene with a first-out victory Feb. 16 at Santa Anita.

That win, like the first-out score from Justify, had many observers immediately convinced of his talent. He easily distanced himself from three rivals, sizzling six furlongs in 1:08.85 under a confident ride from jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

The race Saturday is a whole new test—coming over a longer distance and against several highly promising colts, some of whom could be destined for stakes. Four of his five foes won their previous races, including Great Power, a Blame  colt who powered to a 3 1/4-length debut victory Sept. 29 at Santa Anita at 4-5 odds.

"It's a pretty tough allowance race. You have a lot of nice horses in there," Baffert said. "We'll find out with a two-turn test. (We are) fortunate the race went—we'll see what we have."

Kentucky Derby Future Wagering bettors think he has a good one. In such betting conducted by Churchill Downs that closed over the weekend, Charlatan was the fourth choice among individual entrants at 12-1, trailing only Authentic (6-1), Tiz the Law (7-1), and Nadal (10-1).

The field, a grouping of hundreds of horses not individually listed among 23 options, was 4-1. 

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Charlatan is out of the grade 1-placed Quiet American mare Authenticity, who was purchased by Stonestreet in 2013 for $1.2 million at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's breeding stock sale in Lexington. Authenticity won as far as 1 1/8 miles, capturing the Shuvee Handicap (G3) at that distance in 2013.

Charlatan was a $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase when SF Bloodstock and Starlight West partnered on the colt consigned by Denali Stud.

He races for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Frederick Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables.

Many of these principals are owners in Authentic and Eight Rings, other graded stakes-winning Derby hopefuls with Baffert.

Though there is ample speed in the race, Charlatan did appear to draw favorably on the outside—a position from which Van Dyke, who returns in the irons, could rate him just off the pace, if necessary.

There is the possibility for a wet or drying-out track Saturday at Santa Anita. Significant precipitation is forecast March 13 for Southern California—which caused Santa Anita to preemptively cancel racing—before rain chances are forecast to diminish Saturday.