American Pharoah Heads FrontRunner Lineup

American Pharoah looks to solidify his status as the likely favorite for the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) in the $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27, taking on nine others at Santa Anita Park.

An impressive winner from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Zayat Stables' homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile   aced the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) on Polytrack by 4 3/4 lengths Sept. 3 over eight rivals, three of which come back in the 1 1/16-mile FrontRunner.

American Pharoah will be making his third career start in the FrontRunner, and his first on dirt as well as around two turns. Breaking from the rail in the Del Mar Futurity after running fifth at first asking, he came slightly inwards, but recovered to make the lead in-hand while setting fractions of ;22.72, ;45.23, and 1:08.95. He cruised home, getting seven furlongs on synthetic Polytrack in 1:21.48, while fairly toying with the competition.

Baffert also sends out Peachtree Stables' Lord Nelson, an impressive first-out maiden special weight winner going five furlongs at Del Mar July 19.  A $340,000 Keeneland September yearling, the son of Pulpit will be ridden back by Martin Garcia from the 2 hole.

Owned by Richard C. Pell, Calculator has run three times and will also try a route of ground for the first time on Saturday. Calculator has remained at San Luis Rey Downs since the Del Mar Futurity and has worked twice in preparation for the FrontRunner, his most recent drill a six furlong move in 1:13 flat Sept. 20. Hot-riding Elvis Trujillo will ride back from the outside.

Skyway, who ran fourth as the 2-1 favorite in the Del Mar Futurity, won the 6 1/2 furlong Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) two starts back and will try to regain his form for trainer Mike Casse. A first-out 4 1/2-furlong winner April  5 over the former Keeneland Polytrack, the chestnut colt by Sky Mesa   worked a rapid five furlongs in :59 3/5 at Santa Anita Sept. 18, best of 61 at the distance. He is owned by John C. Oxley and will be making his fifth career start, and his first around two turns.

Casse will also saddle first-out maiden special weight winner Conquest Panthera, who overcame a troubled start to win going six furlongs by 1 1/4 lengths at Del Mar Aug. 24. This Kitten's Joy   colt fetched $475,000 from Conquest Stables at the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.'s 2-year-olds in training sale this past March.

Texas Red, trained and co-owned by Keith Desormeaux, rated kindly and broke his maiden impressively by 1 1/2 lengths going a flat mile on Polytrack Aug. 20 at Del Mar. Although he'll get a class test, his tractability makes him a serious contender in the FrontRunner, his fourth career start. Owned by Brehm, Detmar, Voss and partners, the Afleet Alex   colt will be ridden back by Desormeaux's Hall of Fame brother, Kent.

Hronis Racing's Daddy D T rallied boldly through the lane to take the one-mile Oak Tree Juvenile Turf by a half length at Del Mar Sept. 3 under Corey Nakatani. With Nakatani opting to ride Skyway, Rafael Bejarano will take over on the ridgling by Scat Daddy  , who will be making his third career start for trainer John Sadler.  

Second to Daddy D T in the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf, trainer Doug O'Neill's Sky Preacher was a one-mile turf maiden winner two starts back at Santa Anita June 27. He'll be making his fifth outing and will be ridden for the fourth time in a row by Tyler Baze.   

Red Button and Reflected Star, both maiden winners, complete the field.