G2 San Felipe Offers 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points

The Grade 2 San Felipe, scheduled on Saturday, March 7 awards 50 "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points to the winner toward qualifying for the 152nd Run for the Roses on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Grade 1 winner Brant makes his first start since the Breeders' Cup and unbeaten So Happy gets his first test around two turns in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

The San Felipe, which awards qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby, is part of a blockbuster 11-race card at Santa Anita that also includes the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, Grade I B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile and Grade II Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Brant finished third in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile after setting the early pace on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. It was his first defeat in three starts and first-time racing around two turns. Previously, Brant won his debut at 5 ½ furlongs in August and then won the GI Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs in September.

Brant, by Gun Runner, was purchased for $3 million at last year's OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. He is owned by Zedan Racing Stable. Set to ride Brant for the first time is Florent Geroux, who recently moved his tack full time to Santa Anita.

So Happy is a perfect 2-for-2 for trainer Mark Glatt. After a debut win going 6 ½ furlongs in November at Del Mar, So Happy came back to be a clear winner of the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs on Jan. 10 at Santa Anita. He is a son of 2015 champion sprinter Runhappy out of So Cunning, a daughter of 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame.

Purchased for $150,000 at last year's OBS March sale, So Happy is owned by Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners. He'll be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was also aboard for both previous victories.

Secured Freedom, trained by Tim Yakteen, most recently finished third in the GIII Robert B. Lewis going one mile. The Lewis was his first time facing winners and first time racing around two turns. Previously, Secured Freedom broke his maiden going 6 ½ furlong on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita when making his second start.

By Practical Joke, Secured Freedom was a $110,000 auction buy as a yearling. He is owned by Leslie A. Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. and Roger K. Beasley.

Baffert's other runner in the field is Potente, who was purchased by owner Speedway Stable for $2.4 million at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He debuted Jan. 31 at Santa Anita going six furlongs and won by a neck. By Into Mischief, Potente will have Juan Hernandez aboard.

G2 SAN FELIPE: So Happy, Brant, Potente Prep

March 1 - So Happy, Brant and Potente all worked Sunday in preparation for expected starts in the 2026 Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

So Happy, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 10, blazed four furlongs in 46.8 seconds for trainer Mark Glatt. Hall of Famer Mike Smith was aboard for the work.

"Dynamite," Smith said. "He's never been a flashy work horse in the morning, a bit lazy actually, but this was one of his best works if not the best. He was just cruising. It was all him."

So Happy is by champion sprinter Runhappy out of the Blame mare So Cunning. The San Felipe will be his first time racing around two turns.

"You never know until they do it," Smith said of the added distance. "But he's given me every indication in his sprint races that he would do it. I never felt like I was on fumes at the end."

Grade I winner Brant and Potente are both trained by Bob Baffert. Brant worked five furlongs in 59.8 seconds, while Potente went four furlongs in 47.4 seconds. Baffert confirmed that, as of Sunday morning, he plans to enter both colts in the San Felipe. He added he has not decided yet whether to enter nominees Boyd or Buetane.

Brant is a Gun Runner colt who sold for $3 million at auction last year. He is owned by Zedan Racing Stables. The San Felipe would be Brant's first start since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Prior to the Breeders' Cup, Brant won the GI Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs. Potente, by Into Mischief, was a $2.4 million auction buy as a yearling. Owned by Speedway Stable, Potente won his debut going six furlongs on Jan. 31 at Santa Anita.

BLACKER TAKING BIG SWINGS WITH START THE RIDE & CEE DREW

March 1 - On California Cup Day last month, trainer Dan Blacker swept the two stakes for 3-year-olds when Start the Ride won the California Cup Derby and Cee Drew took down the California Cup Oaks on turf. Next weekend at Santa Anita, both California-breds will get shots at graded stakes glory.

Blacker confirmed Start the Ride will go in Saturday's G2 San Felipe and Cee Drew will run in the GIII Santa Ysabel on Sunday. The decision was finalized after the two sophomores worked in company Sunday morning. Cee Drew, with jockey Armando Ayuso aboard, was credited with a five-furlong work in 1:00.4. Start the Ride was clocked going four furlongs in 47.80 seconds.

"She went out five-eighths with a bit more of a gallop-out," Blacker said. "Both went super. We're going to take a shot."

Start the Ride, owned and bred by Harris Farms, won the 1 1/16-mile Cal Cup Derby on Jan. 17 by 1 ¾ lengths when rallying from the back-half of the field. It was the first official start for the colt by Upstart. In his only previous outing, in November at Del Mar, Start the Ride was declared a non-starter when it was ruled the assistant starter held on to his reins too long after the gates opened. Despite the setback, Start the Ride that day rallied from far back to finish a solid fourth.

"He's ready. He's doing awesome," Blacker said of running in the San Felipe. "It's obviously a big step up, but his works have been great. You wouldn't know he was a Cal-bred watching him train. One thing I know is distance isn't going to be a problem. The longer the races are the better he's going to be. It's just a question if he's good enough."

The San Felipe awards qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby and is the final major prep for the GI Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Also to be run on Saturday are the GI Santa Anita Handicap, GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile and GII Frank E. Kilroe Mile.

The 1 1/16-mile Santa Ysabel on Sunday awards qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks and is the final major local prep for the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 4. It would mark the dirt debut for Cee Drew.

In the Cal Cup Oaks going one mile on turf, Cee Drew came from off the pace to win by a neck for owner My Way Racing. The daughter of Cistron previously broke her maiden in October sprinting on the Santa Anita lawn then was no factor in the GIII Jimmy Durante going a mile on turf at Del Mar

"I've been working her on the main track with this race in mind," Blacker said. "Cistron ran well on dirt and turf. Obviously she's from a European mare, but I worked her on the main track wanting her to give me a reason not to run on dirt. But she didn't. I'm excited to see how she runs on the dirt."

This Saturday's card will be drawn on Monday, and entries for Sunday's program will be taken the following day.

G2 SAN FELIPE: Secured Freedom A Go After Sharp Workout

Feb 28 - Trainer Tim Yakteen confirmed Secured Freedom will be entered in next Saturday's Grade II San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds following a sharp work Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Secured Freedom was timed working five furlongs in 59.6 seconds.

"It was a nice drill," Yakteen said. "He had company the first half mile, finished up strong. We're on track."

A colt by Practical Joke, Secured Freedom exits a third-place finish in the GIII Robert B. Lewis going one mile on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. The Lewis was his first time facing winners and first-time racing around two turns.

Also working towards an expected start in the San Felipe was Intrepido for trainer Jeff Mullins. Intrepido, who was second in the Lewis in his 3-year-old debut, drilled five furlongs in 1:02.2. By Maximus Mischief, Intrepido last year won the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita prior to a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.

Working for trainer Bob Baffert were San Felipe nominees Boyd and Buetane. Both were clocked going six furlongs in 1:12.2. Boyd, a colt by Violence, hasn't started since Nov. 29 when winning the 6 ½-furlong Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs to improve to 2-for-2.

For Buetane, it was his second work since finishing third in the GII Southwest on Feb. 6 at Oaklawn. Also nominated by Baffert to the San Felipe are Brant, Desert Gate, Litmus Test and Potente. Working for trainer Doug O'Neill was Robusta, who finished sixth in the Lewis when facing winners for the first time. By Accelerate, Robusta drilled five furlongs in 1:02.2.

Entries for the San Felipe, which is the final major prep for the GI Santa Anita Derby on April 4, will be taken on Monday, March 2.

Intrepido Probable for Grade 2 San Felipe?

Feb 21 - Intrepido and Secured Freedom both worked Saturday for the first time since the GIII Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. They were among several high-profile 3-year-olds on the Santa Anita work tab.

Intrepido, who was second in the Lewis, worked four furlongs in 48.8 seconds under jockey Hector Berrios. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Intrepido finished three-quarters of a length back of Plutarch in the one-mile Lewis in his 3-year-old debut.

"He didn't do much. We didn't want much," trainer Jeff Mullins said of the drill.

Mullins added he has not decided if Intrepido will return in the GII San Felipe on March 7 or wait for the GI Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

Last year, Intrepido-a colt by Maximus Mischief-won the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita before a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.

Secured Freedom, who was third in the Lewis in his two-turn debut, worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds for trainer Tim Yakteen. By Practical Joke, Secured Freedom rallied from last to complete the trifecta in the Lewis. He previously broke his maiden going 6 ½ furlongs on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita.

Secured Freedom is also a candidate to return in the San Felipe.

"We are considering the San Felipe. He is on schedule," Yakteen said. "We will make a final decision next week."

Working for trainer Bob Baffert were 3-year-olds Brant, Boyd, Litmus Test and Buetane. Brant and Boyd both worked six furlongs from the gate. Brant was timed in 1:11.80 while Boyd was clocked in 1:12.0. Brant, a $3 million son of Gun Runner, hasn't started since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Boyd, by Violence, is a perfect 2-for-2. He most recently won the Ed Brown Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.

Litmus Test worked four furlongs in 47.80 seconds. Winner of the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December, the Nyquist colt is targeting the San Felipe for his 3-year-old debut.

Buetane returned to the tab after finishing third in the GIII Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 6. The colt by Tiz the Law worked four furlongs in 47.80 seconds.

Also working for Baffert were Splendora, Explora and Usha. Splendora returned to the tab after winning the GII D Wayne Lukas on Feb. 7. Winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Splendora worked five furlongs in 1:01.2.

Explora returned to the tab after a second-place finish in the Las Virgenes for 3-year-old fillies on Feb. 8. By Blame, Explora drilled five furlongs in 59.0 seconds. It was the fastest of 43 works at the distance. Usha, winner of the GI La Brea on Dec. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:00.2.

OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal online Santa Anita horse betting is a great way to bet horse racing on your phone or computer. Available to customers across the United States, OTB features Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from major racing venues in the US as well as top international racing from Europe, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.