Conquest Two Step One to Beat in San Carlos

Coming off a powerful victory in the Jan. 31 Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park, Conquest Two Step appears the one to beat in the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) March 7 at the Southern California oval.

Owned by Conquest Stables and trained by Mark Casse, the Florida-bred son of Two Step Salsa   enters the San Carlos in top form after rallying through the stretch to take the Palos Verdes by 1 1/4 lengths over 2013 Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Secret Circle.

In his prior start, the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita, Conquest Two Step gave Shared Belief all he could handle, just missing by a neck when second best. Shared Belief will be the heavy favorite in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I); he defeated Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male California Chrome in the Feb. 7 San Antonio Invitational Stakes (gr. II) last tiem out.

BALAN: Shared Belief a Massive Favorite in Big 'Cap

Conquest Two Step drew post four in the 7-furlong San Carlos and will be ridden again by Joe Talamo.

Third in the Malibu was Chitu, one of two starters Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have in the San Carlos. He also saddles Midnight Hawk.

After taking the March 23 Sunland Derby (gr. III) last year, Chitu finished a respectable ninth in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.

He didn't start again until Oct. 31, when he easily won the Damascus Stakes at Santa Anita by 2 1/2 lengths. In the Malibu, he battled from the start before weakening late, finishing third beaten three-quarters of a length.

Chitu will break from the rail under Martin Garcia in the field of nine.

Midnight Hawk finally returned to the winner's circle when he took an allowance race at Santa Anita on Feb. 6. The win snapped a seven-race losing streak for the 4-year-old colt, who began his career breaking his maiden in his debut at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 13, 2013 before taking the Jan. 11 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita last year.

Midnight Hawk will leave from post 8 under Victor Espinoza.

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will also send out a pair of runners in the San Carlos—Outside Nashville and Wild Dude.

Outside Nashville is a multiple stakes winner, having won five of 18 starts, but has never taken a graded stakes race. In his last start he finished eighth in the Feb. 16 General George Handicap (gr. III) at Laurel Park, snapping a two-race win streak.

Outside Nashville departs post 2 under Kent Desormeaux.

Wild Dude has won four of 11 career starts and got up to be third in the Palos Verdes. That was the first start in over nine months for the 5-year-old horse, who will break from post seven under Rafael Bejarano.