Baffert Trio Among Five in San Vicente

At seven furlongs, the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park may not look like a prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). It offers no Derby points either. Yet in 2016 Nyquist   used it as part of his trip to the Derby winner's circle.

The Jan. 29 San Vicente has attracted five colts with much potential, though none with a lengthy résumé as yet. Even the most accomplished, 2021 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner Pinehurst , has only started three times.

Bob Baffert trains three of the five, all for large partnerships that vary slightly but are headed by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables. In addition to Pinehurst, the Baffert trio includes Doppelganger  and McLaren Vale , who have each won in their only start.

Veteran Mike Smith from post 2 will ride Pinehurst, with whom Smith won the Del Mar Futurity by 4 1/2 lengths. A son of Twirling Candy  —Giant Win , by Giant's Causeway , Pinehurst cost $385,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Following the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity, Pinehurst, under John Velazquez, finished fifth in the 1 1/16-mile TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) while Smith won the race aboard Baffert-trained Corniche .

Doppelganger, a son of Into Mischief  , cost $570,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Selected Yearling showcase. In his only start, Doppelganger broke his maiden by 3 1/2 lengths. Flavien Prat rode the colt in that race and will be back aboard from post 4.

McLaren Vale broke his maiden by a length. The son of Gun Runner   cost $625,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Baffert named Abel Cedillo to ride McLaren Vale from post 3.

Trainers Richard Mandella and John Sadler each have entered colts to take on the Baffert juggernaut. Mandella's may have more rooting interests because Forbidden Kingdom  races for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm. Many of the microshare owners in MyRacehorse runners show up at Santa Anita whenever one of their horses competes.

Forbidden Kingdom is by American Pharoah  , trained by Baffert to win the 2015 Triple Crown. Spendthrift and MyRacehorse bought Forbidden Kingdom for $300,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton showcase sale. After he won his first race, Forbidden Kingdom finished third in the Oct. 1 Speakeasy Stakes on turf and ran second in the Nov. 14 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) on dirt.

"He grabbed a quarter in his last race," Mandella said of the Bob Hope. "It was a bad one, and it took a while to heal up. But he's back in good shape now."

Juan Hernandez has ridden Forbidden Kingdom in each of his races and again will be the pilot, this time from the rail.

Sadler has the only homebred, What in Blazes  (Tyler Baze, post 5), in the San Vicente field. Kevin and Kimberly Nish's KMN Racing bred What in Blazes, a son of Straight Fire  , in California. What in Blazes ran second in his first start and then scored by 5 3/4 lengths in state-bred competition last July.

Entries: San Vicente S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 29, 2022, Race 4

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 2:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Forbidden Kingdom (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Richard E. Mandella	-
2	Pinehurst (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Bob Baffert	-
3	McLaren Vale (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Bob Baffert	-
4	Doppelganger (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Bob Baffert	-
5	What in Blazes (CA)	Tyler Baze	120	John W. Sadler	-