Forbidden Kingdom stretches out in San Felipe

Forbidden Kingdom proved that he has plenty of speed in the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2). Now the son of Triple Crown champion American Pharoah will try to demonstrate that he can carray it around two turns in Saturday’s $400,000 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita. The stepping stone to the Apr. 9 Santa Anita Derby (G1), the San Felipe offers Kentucky Derby (G1) points on the 50-20-10-5 scale. 

Trained by Richard Mandella for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, Forbidden Kingdom has raced only in sprints so far. The chestnut wired a 5 1/2-furlong maiden in his unveiling at Del Mar in August. Mandella switched him to turf so that he could stick to a shorter distance, and Forbidden Kingdom was a troubled third in the Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita. Back on the dirt for the Nov. 14 Bob Hope (G3), he stumbled, grabbed a quarter, and wound up second to highly-regarded Messier. 

Forbidden Kingdom put it all together with a frontrunning display in the San Vicente. He’ll bid to follow up in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, and regular rider Juan Hernandez will steer from post 6. 

Cabo Spirit also had a run-in with Messier, succumbing by 15 lengths when second in the Feb. 6 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at this track and trip. Previously a Grade 3-placed stakes winner on turf, the Pioneerof the Nile colt will break from the outside post 7 with Victor Espinoza.

Doppelganger, fourth as the 9-10 favorite in the San Vicente, hopes to move forward on the stretch-out. The Bob Baffert runner is joined by stablemate Armagnac, a recent course-and-distance maiden winner. Neither is eligible to score Derby points since Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. 

Doug O’Neill is double-handed with Happy Jack, who takes blinkers off after finishing last in the Lewis, and Worse Read Sanchez, who just missed in a Cal-restricted turf allowance. 

The Simon Callaghan-trained Beautiful Art steps up from a maiden claiming win, for a lofty $200,000 tag. No one claimed the well-named son of Klimt, and he continues to race in Kaleem Shah’s colors.