Santa Anita Derby

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) drew 11 sophomores, but the
quality of the male runners is in serious doubt as a filly is 7-5 on the morning
line. Champion SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) is a very nice performer who could
trounce her dubious rivals, but she’s failed to earn a triple-digit BRIS Speed
rating in two starts this year after notching figures of 106 and 101 during her
juvenile campaign. We have our doubts as to whether she has improved enough from
two to three to handle this assignment.

WILKO (Awesome Again) is re-united with Frankie Dettori, who guided the colt
to an upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and the chestnut is eligible
to improve off a solid fourth in his seasonal bow. The Craig Dollase trainee has
battled quarter crack problems, but he’s never run a bad race on the main track
and has trained forwardly for this appearance, recording a six-furlong bullet
work recently in 1:10 3/5. Wilko figures to settle in a perfect stalking position just off
the early lead and is the only proven member of this field other than the filly.
We’ll look for him to put it all together for another Grade 1 victory.

Sweet Catomine couldn’t have caught a weaker group of males in a $750,000,
Grade 1 stakes race, but that has nothing to do with her ability, which has been
strictly top-class so far. She ran faster than Wilko when recording an
impressive win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and her connections
have every right to be thinking Kentucky Derby (G1) with her given the lack of a
standout in the three-year-old division. Sweet Catomine’s late running style
doesn’t look favorable in this spot, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see the
classy miss seize command during the stretch run en route to victory.

WANNAWINEMALL (Royal Anthem) recorded a sharp maiden score two starts back at
Santa Anita and finished a decent second when trying winners for the first time
in the El Camino Real Derby (G3). The late-blossoming colt has never been off
the board in four career starts and should keep improving for trainer Kristin Mulhall. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a strong upset bid.

GENERAL JOHN B (Sweetsouthernsaint) looks like the speed and recorded a
front-running win in the Turf Paradise Derby. He also owns a third in the San
Miguel S. at Santa Anita, and the Roger Stein charge could get a little bold on
the front end if he gets out to an uncontested lead. He’s attractive at long odds
because he may forget to stop.

DON’T GET MAD (Stephen Got Even) has some appeal for the bottom of the
exotics as the one-run closer usually comes charging late, but he hasn’t been
close to challenging for the win in his two appearances this year and probably
won’t get much early pace in this spot. GIACOMO (Holy Bull) is another one who
will get part often but has yet to threaten for a win this year, including a
third as the heavy favorite in the Sham S. We won’t recommend leaving him out of all
gimmicks, but we’re content to let the gray colt beat us at low odds.

BUZZARDS BAY (Marco Bay) does his best running in the latter stages of the
race but proved extremely game winning the Golden Gate Derby on the front end.
He hasn’t shown much in his two appearances since, but the stakes winner remains
a contender for the top three with his back class. GO COYOTE JOE (Vicar) broke
his maiden on a sloppy track in January and has been no factor in two starts
since. A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy) could be any kind of runner, but we’re not going
to recommend the maiden here. ALLRIGHT (Silver Charm) steps up off a turf maiden
special weight win at Bay Meadows. CUSTOMER (Silver Charm), who will run coupled
with Allright, is still a maiden from three career starts. Both Nick Hines
runners need a much easier spot.