San Felipe Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will log a lot of miles this Saturday with qualifying races in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on the west coast and the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and the Gotham Stakes (G3) on the east coast.

At Santa Anita Park, McKINZIE has been tagged as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2). Post time is 5:30 p.m. ET.

McKinzie comes into this race for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert with a 3-0-0 record in three starts including a win in the Sham Stakes (G3) last out. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

MCKINZIE stalked three deep, bid outside the runner-up leaving the second turn, came in a bit while taking the lead in the stretch, drifted in and drew clear under a left-handed tap of the whip and moderate hand ride then a hold late.

McKinzie looked good in the cut back to a mile winning the Sham by an easy 3½ lenths.

Street Sense, the sire of McKinzie, was a multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 6-4-2 record in 13 starts with $4,383,200 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, Street Sense finished third in both the Arlington-Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity (G3) and the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He followed that with a win in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) and was tabbed as the Eclipse Champion Two Year Old.

 Street Sense won his season debut as a three-year-old in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) en route to a 2¼ length win over Hard Spun in the 2007 Kentucky Derby.

McKinzie has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in the this race. Veteran jockey Mike Smith retains the mount and I look for the pair to run another good race.

BOLT d’ORO (2-1) has not raced in four months and he comes into the San Felipe Stakes (G2) for trainer Mick Ruis with a 3-0-1 record in four starts including a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of the Juvenile:

BOLT D’ORO bobbled at the start, was hung seven wide into the first turn, ranged into striking distance on the second turn while remaining widest, loomed a danger entering stretch but was unable to bridge the gap.

While racing much farther off the pace than usual, Bolt d’Oro made a good run in the stretch to finish a respectable third.

Medaglia d’Oro, the sire of Bolt d’Oro, was a good middle-distance runner that compiled an 8-7-0 record in 17 starts with $5,754,720 in career earnings. Overall, he had seven wins and five second-place finishes in 14 route races.

Medaglia d’Oro finished second in his only start as a two year old but as a three year old he won the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and finished second in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) in route to the 2002 Derby where he finished in fourth place.

In the Preakness Stakes (G1), Medaglia d’Oro finished eighth but rebounded from that run to finish second in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He went on to complete his racing season as a three year old with wins in the nine-furlong Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the 10-furlong Travers Stakes (G1).

As a four year old, Medaglia d’Oro won the nine-furlong Strub Stakes (G2), Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Whitney Handicap (G1). In addition, he finished second in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

At the age of five, Medaglia d’Oro won the nine-furlong Donn Handicap (G1) and finished second in the 10-furlong Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (G1

Bolt d’Oro has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race. He’s been training good and a couple of recent bullet work outs could have him ready to run a good race in his debut as a three-year-old.

A long shot I like is Aquila (15-1) who comes into this race off a maiden win for trainer Simon Callaghan. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

AQUILA sped to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, responded when the runner-up challenged leaving the second turn and into the stretch, inched away under urging in mid-stretch and proved best.

Aquila looked good breaking his maiden on his third start to capture the win by 2¼ lengths.

Union Rags, the sire of Aquila, was a competitive colt on the trail to the 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1), compiling an overall 5-1-1 record in eight career starts with $1,798,800 in earnings.

As a two year old, he won the Three Chimneys Saratoga Special (G2) and Champagne (G1) stakes and finished second in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) stakes.

At the age of three, Union Rags won the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) stakes and finished third in the Florida Derby (G1) en route to a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He finished his career with a narrow win by a neck over Paynter in the Belmont (G1) stakes.

With an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Aquila is the best-bred colt in this herd. He’s an improving colt and has room to improve in his third start of the season.

KANTHAKA (4-1) comes into this race with a 2-0-0 record in three starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer including a win in the San Vicente Stakes (G2). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

KANTHAKA settled off the rail then angled in leaving the backstretch, moved out inside then came up leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch, gained the advantage in upper stretch, kicked clear under urging, drifted in some and was under steady handling late.

Jimmy Creed, the sire of Kanthaka, was a multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 4-2-2 record in 10 starts with $439,250 in career earnings.

He finished second in his maiden debut as a three-year-old and went on to compile a 3-2-1 record in seven starts with a win in the Malibu Stakes (G1), a second-place finish in the El Cajon Stakes and a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1).

At the age of four, Jimmy Creed was 1-0-1 in three starts with a win in the Potrero Grande Stakes (G2) and a third-place finish in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1).

Kanthaka has a D Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him, potentially, competitive.

Honorable mention goes to Ayacara (8-1).

*****

This is the sixth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a point system to determine eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of 36 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to the schedule is the addition of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on December 17.

In addition to the Japan road to the Derby which features the Cattleya Sho Stakes (November 25), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushan Stakes (December 13) and Hayacinth Stakes (February 2018), Churchill Downs has added a European road to Derby glory consisting of seven races: Juddmonte Beresford (September 24), Juddmonte Royal Lodge (September 30), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (October 1), Racing Post Trophy (October 28, Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (March 1), Patton (March 2) and the Burradon (March 30).

2018 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Bravazo, 54, D. Wayne Lukas, $349,913

2. +Good Magic, 24, Chad Brown, $1,200,000

3. Firenze Fire, 24, Jason Servis, $567,500

4. Snapper Sinclair, 22, Steve Asmussen, $301,810

5. McKinzie, 20, Bob Baffert, $240,000

6. Instilled Regard, 19, Jerry Hollendorfer, $196,000

7. Bolt d’Oro, 14, Mick Ruis, $540,000

8. +Free Drop Billy, 14, Dale Romans, $467,200

9. +Solomini, 14, Bob Baffert, $436,000

10. Catholic Boy, 14, Jonathan Thomas, $330,000

11. Avery Island, 14, Kiaran McLaughlin, $320,000

12. Enticed, 13, Kiaran McLaughlin, $180,880

13. My Boy Jack, 12, Keith Desormeaux, $402,000

14. Combatant, 12, Steve Asmussen, $210,000

15. Mourinho, 11, Bob Baffert, $149,360

16. Greyvitos, 10, Adam Kitchingman, $300,000

17. Audible, 10, Todd Pletcher, $208,320

18. Lombo, 10, Mike Pender, $90,000

19. Noble Indy, 10, Todd Pletcher, $40,000

20. Tiz Mischief, 6, Dale Romans, $70,400

+ = Horses we picked as yearlings at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Good Magic = Eclipse Champion Two Year Old Male.

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Saxon Warrior (JPN), 20, Aidan O’Brien, $245,017

2. *GRONKOWSKI, 20, Jeremy Noseda, $43,235

3. Roaring Lion (USA), 14, John Gosden, $136,807

4. f-Happily (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $543,648

5. Court House (IRE), 8, John Gosden, $12,946

6. Olmedo (FR), 4, Jean-Claude Rouget, $113,505

7. Nelson (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $99,826

8. Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $38,074

9. Fortune’s Pearl (IRE), 4, Andrew Balding, $8,273

10. Masar (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $101,264

11. The Pentagon (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $71.981

12. Mildenberger (ENG), 2, Mark Johnston, $64,634

13. Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke, $12,904

14. Verbal Dexterity (IRE), 1, Jim Bolger, $280,269

15. Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $28,605

16. Woodmax (GER), 1, Nicolas Clement, $23,610

17. Petrus (IRE), 1, Brian Meehan, $7,182

          *Gronkowski is the only horse nominated for the Triple Crown on the European Leaderboard.

JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Sumahama (JPN), 30, Ryo Takahashi, $291,287

2. *Ruggero (JPN), 16, Yuichi Shikato, $220,861

3. Taiki Ferveur, 12, Mitsunori Makiura, $299,689

4. Le Vent Se Leve (JPN), 10, Kiyoshi Hagiwara, $463,935

5. Don Fortis (JPN), 4, Mitsunori Makiura, $436,916

6. Mic Ben Hur (JPN), 4, Yoshihiro Hatakeyama, $122,696

7. Great Time (JPN), 3, Hideaki Fujiwara, $186,586

8. Haseno Pyro (JPN), 2, Kenki Sato, $263,981

9. Meiner Yukitsubaki (JPN) 2, Noboru Takagi, $151,796

10. Dark Repulser (JPN), 1, Takashi Kanari, $200,920

11. Bronze Kay (JPN), 1, Koichi Tsunoda, $75,979

* = Nominated to Triple Crown.