The Grade II San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park is a prestigious race for three-year-olds, offering a purse of $200,000 and covering a distance of seven furlongs. This race is a key early prep for the Kentucky Derby and attracts some of the top young horses in the country.
Key Details:
- Distance: Seven furlongs
- Age: Three-year-olds
- Purse: $200,000
- Weights: 124 lbs
- Allowances: Non-winners of a Sweepstakes allowed 2 lbs; non-winners of any other race (other than Maiden, Claiming, or Starter) allowed 4 lbs
- Qualifying Points: No qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby
Field Overview:
- McKinzie Street (10/1): Trained by Tim Yakteen and ridden by Antonio Fresu, McKinzie Street has shown promise with multiple Grade 1 placings but has struggled in his last two starts.
- Barnes (8/5): Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Barnes is a $3.2 million yearling purchase who won his debut race and has shown potential.
- Romanesque (5/1): Also trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, Romanesque has a strong pedigree and has shown consistent performance.
- Smooth Cruisein (12/1): Trained by Karen Headley and ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez, Smooth Cruisein has shown potential but is yet to win a stakes race.
- Bullard (4/5): Trained by Mike McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Bullard is undefeated in two starts, including a win in the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes.
Analysis:
Bullard is the standout in this field, having won both of his starts, including a dominant performance in the Bob Hope Stakes. His trainer, Mike McCarthy, has a strong record, and Bullard’s speed figures suggest he can handle the seven-furlong distance.
Barnes is another strong contender, with a solid debut win and a pedigree that suggests he can handle the distance. Trained by Bob Baffert, Barnes has shown good early speed and has the potential to improve.
McKinzie Street has shown promise with multiple Grade 1 placings but has struggled in his last two starts. He will need to improve his form to have a shot at winning this race.
Romanesque has a strong pedigree and has shown consistent performance. Trained by Bob Baffert, Romanesque has the potential to be a factor in this race.
Smooth Cruisein is a long shot but has shown potential and could surprise if he runs a strong race.
Conclusion:
The San Vicente Stakes is shaping up to be a competitive race with several strong contenders. Bullard is the favorite, but Barnes and Romanesque are also strong contenders who could challenge for the win. It will be interesting to see how these horses perform and who will come out on top in this important race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
