Three Takeaways from 2022 San Felipe Stakes

Mar 09, 2022 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

The San Felipe (G2) has yielded multiple Kentucky Derby
winners in the last decade, and the 1 1/16-mile race produced a top contender
last Saturday.

Makes it
look easy

Forbidden Kingdom
stretched out to two turns like a superstar, dominating by a 5 3/4-length margin,
and the ease of victory was striking. To say his supporters are envisioning
future glories would be an understatement.

He buried the opposition from the start, drawing off
spectacularly while under a hold on the far turn, and Juan Hernandez just tried
to keep his mount from losing focus through the stretch.

Hall of Famer Richard Mandella trains the American Pharoah
colt, and Forbidden Kingdom earned a 102 Brisnet Speed rating, easily the top
number among Kentucky Derby point earners this year.

Speed to
spare for longer distances

Similar to American Pharoah, Forbidden Kingdom’s female
family is geared for shorter distances than the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby. He
passed the first two-turn test in the San Felipe with aplomb, but longer
distances remain at least a minor concern.

The chestnut colt’s natural speed will be an asset.

Forbidden Kingdom displayed his dazzling quickness winning
the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2) in his previous outing, reeling off :21.86
and :44.49 splits before drawing off in the stretch, and he effortlessly established
:22.66 and :45.90 fractions in the San Felipe while several lengths clear.

Barring a bad break, no other Kentucky Derby prospect can
run with Forbidden Kingdom during the early stages.

Also-rans stretched
out behind winner

Doppelganger
performed well for second, and remains a promising three-year-old moving
forward, but he had no chance against a buzzsaw.

Off as the 8-5 second choice, Doppelganger launched a nice
bid on the far turn and carried his momentum through the stretch,
winding up nearly five lengths clear of third.

The field was strung out behind Forbidden Kingdom. Cabo
Spirit, who was exiting a distant runner-up to Messier in the Robert B. Lewis
(G3), finished more than 20 lengths behind the winner in fifth.