Study Guide: 2024 San Felipe Stakes
Feb 29, 2024
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Sunday with the running of the $300,000 San Felipe S. (G2) at Santa Anita, a 1 1/16-mile qualifier worth 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers.
A small field of five horses will contest the San Felipe, which has produced 13 Kentucky Derby (G1) winners through the years. Let’s take a horse-by-horse look at the entries:
Note: Since trainer Bob Baffert is currently suspended by Churchill Downs Inc., horses trained by Baffert are ineligible to earn Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points.
Scatify
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Doug Branham and Felicia Branham
Trainer: John Sadler
Jockey: Hector Berrios
Top Speed Rating: (90) when finishing third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $51,000
Sire: Justify
Dam: Broadway Run
Color: Chestnut
The lightly raced Scatify won his debut sprinting six furlongs at Los Alamitos, then stepped up in class and distance to finish third in the one-mile Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita. He missed second place by less than one length against the more experienced Wine Me Up and still has upside while making only his third start, so don’t count Scatify out of the mix for a top-three finish.
Wine Me Up
Wine Me Up (Photo by Benoit Photography)
Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0
Owner: Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman
Breeder: Kenneth L. Ramsey and Sarah K. Ramsey
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Top Speed Rating: (96) when finishing fourth in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) at Los Alamitos.
Total Earnings: $181,200
Sire: Vino Rosso
Dam: Deanaallen’skitten
Color: Chestnut
Wine Me Up has competed in four straight Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, finishing second in the American Pharoah (G1), eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), fourth in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), and second in the Robert B. Lewis. The son of Vino Rosso has every chance to record another respectable finish on Sunday, though turning the tables on runaway Lewis winner Nysos won’t be easy.
Nysos
Nysos wins the 2023 Bob Hope S. at Del Mar (Photo by Benoit Photography)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Baoma Corp
Breeder: Susie Atkins
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Top Speed Rating: (102) when winning the Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $216,600
Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Zetta Z
Color: Bay
The horse to beat in the San Felipe is the undefeated Nysos, whose three consecutive victories include blowout scores in the Bob Hope (G3) and Robert B. Lewis. He won the latter race by 7 1/2 lengths over San Felipe rivals Wine Me Up, Scatify, and Mc Vay, so anything close to a repeat performance will make Nysos formidable this Sunday.
Mc Vay
Start(s): 3
Wins: 0
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: C R K Stable
Breeder: Band of Brothers
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
Top Speed Rating: (84) when finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $25,500
Sire: Constitution
Dam: Dothraki Sea
Color: Dark bay/brown
Mc Vay has shown flashes of talent across three starts, most notably finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis. But he’s yet to win a race and finished from 12 lengths to 4 1/4 lengths behind Nysos, Wine Me Up, and Scatify in the Lewis, so Mc Vay will need improvement to challenge for a stronger finish in the rematch.
Imagination
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 3
Show: 0
Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom J. Ryan
Breeder: Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Top Speed Rating: (94) when breaking his maiden at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $76,800
Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Magical Feeling
Color: Bay
Sold for $1.05 million as a yearling, Imagination has finished first or second in each of his four starts. He was beaten only a neck in a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita last time out, a race that elapsed in the quick time of 1:36.65 for one mile. A top-three finish is within reach while stepping up in class under internationally renowned jockey Frankie Dettori.
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