Mor Spirit, Exaggerator Face New Challengers

With undefeated Nyquist bypassing the Southern California Triple Crown preps in favor of the Florida Derby (gr. I), an opportunity has presented itself for some talented but still unproven locals in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) March 12 at Santa Anita Park.



Two San Felipe entrants have proven plenty—Mor Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert, and Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux—and both have been formidable in recent starts.



Michael Lund Petersen's Mor Spirit, an Eskendereya ridgling who earned a top-level score last year in the Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I), made his 3-year-old debut Feb. 6 with a victory in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita and appears to be California's top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender with Nyquist's absence.



NOVAK: Mor Spirit Secures Robert B. Lewis Score



Exaggerator could also snatch up some key Road to the Kentucky Derby points—which will be awarded on a 50-20-10-5 schedule to the top four finishers—following the Curlin   colt's all-out second-place try against Nyquist in the San Vicente (gr. II) last time out. The Saratoga Special (gr. II) and Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III) winner could appreciate the added distance following the seven-furlong San Vicente.



BALAN: Nyquist Scores in San Vicente, Still Unbeaten



Those two may be proven, but a field of wildcards will be in to challenge, most notably undefeated Smokey Image, who will look to recreate the successful path of fellow chestnut and California-bred California Chrome   to the Kentucky Derby.



Undefeated in six starts, the Southern Image   colt passed his first two-turn test with flying colors in the California Derby Jan. 30, but he'll try graded company for the first time Saturday.

"There's been a lot of horses coming out of the woodwork and horses that have run way faster than him going two turns," trainer Carla Gaines said after a workout in February. "I guess we have to see what we have in that engine, because we didn't put the pedal to the metal (in the California Cup Derby)."



BALAN: Smokey Image Dominant in Cal Cup Derby



The Irvin Racing Stable-owned colt has also been training lights-out in recent weeks, including a key drill unintentionally up against fellow San Felipe entrant Danzing Candy Feb. 27.



BALAN: 'Smokey' and 'Candy' Hook Up in Morning Work



Danzing Candy has also been highly regarded in his recent starts, most recently a standout score in a Feb. 4 allowance at Santa Anita, when he essentially announced his Triple Crown intentions.



Returning from the Lewis against Mor Spirit is also second-place finisher Uncle Lino and third-place I Will Score. Impressive last-out maiden winner Cupid, another Baffert-trained entrant, completes the field.