Baffert, Baltas each enter two in Sham at Santa Anita

Jan 01, 2020 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

The 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby series continues Saturday when a field of six lines up in the $100,000 Sham (G3) over a mile at Santa Anita.

Named for the 1973 Kentucky Derby runner-up to Secretariat, the Sham unsurprisingly features a dangerous pair trained by Bob Baffert, who's won the Sham a record five times. Authentic, a son of Into Mischief, won his 5 1/2-furlong debut by 1 1/2 lengths during the Del Mar fall meet, while Azul Coast won by four lengths in his one-mile debut at Los Alamitos on Dec. 8. The latter is a son of the recently-exported 2010 Derby winner Super Saver.

Richard Baltas also has two entered. Taishan broke his maiden over the track and distance by a length on Nov. 3, while Uncaptured Hero gutted out a narrow victory at Del Mar last time in a $100,000 maiden claimer.

'I'm not concerned that Taishan is stepping up,' Baltas said. 'It was his first time going long and he won and got a good number. 'He's trained really well since then, he's had a bunch of time between races and I think he'll give a good account of himself.'

Taishan earned an 87 Brisnet speed rating for the win.

Completing the field is the dual stakes-placed Zimba Warrior, third in the Bob Hope (G3) last time, and Scoring, unraced since being elevated to first via disqualification in his debut on June 16 in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden for Doug O'Neill.

The Sham awards Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers and is the fifth race on Saturday's card, with a scheduled post time of 4:30 p.m. (EST). You can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.

(Benoit Photos)