San Vicente | Horse Racing Free Tips

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Runner-Up Muth Headlines San Vicente

Zedan Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic), winner of the GI American Pharoah S. and runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, will take on five rivals in Saturday's seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita. Regular rider Juan J. Hernandez will be aboard the 4-5 morning-line favorite.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will also saddle front-running Del Mar debut winner and 5-2 second-choice Pilot Commander (Justify).

Baffert is seeking his record 13th win in the San Vicente, which was previously held in early February.

“They changed the format,” Baffert said. “While I liked it better when this race was in February, I think this should be a good starting point to his season. I think the winner (Fierceness) just ran a crazy fast race (in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile). Muth ran well, he just got beat.”

This weekend's graded stakes action also includes Sunday's GIII Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita. The rail-drawn Kopion (Omaha Beach), a sharp debut winner for trainer Richard Mandella at Del Mar in late November, is the 3-5 morning-line favorite.

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Baffert Holds Strong Hand in San Vicente

Bob Baffert has won Santa Anita's GII San Vicente S. 11 times and has a pretty good chance to secure his 12th victory Saturday when he saddles three of the five runners entered in this year's renewal. Leading that trio is last term's GI Del Mar Futurity S. winner Pinehurst (Twirling Candy). A debut winner at the seaside oval Aug. 1, the bay went wire-to-wire for a 4 1/2-length score in the Sept. 6 Futurity, but could only manage fifth behind stablemate and likely champion Corniche (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at that oval Nov. 5. Pinehurst ran a strong number in his debut–an 86 Beyer Speed Figure–but could not repeat that in his next two outings, running a 79 and 78, respectively.

The only other contender to best those recent figures is one of his barnmates, Doppelganger (Into Mischief). The $570,000 FTKSEL buy posted an 80 Beyer when earning the 'TDN Rising Star' nod in his debut at Los Alamitos Dec. 11. Completing the Baffert group is $625,000 KEESEP purchase McLaren Vale (Gun Runner), who wired his unveiling at this oval Dec. 31.

Rounding out the field is GIII Bob Hope S. runner-up Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) and What in Blazes (Straight Fire), who was last seen demolishing a Cal-bred maiden at Del Mar back in July for Jerry Hollendorfer. He enters this race under trainer John Sadler.

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Sophomore Doppleganger Tops Field Of Five For Saturday’s San Vicente

Winning from the rail like a seasoned pro in his first start, Doppelganger retains the services of Flavien Prat as he heads a field of five sophomores going seven furlongs in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita. One of three Bob Baffert trainees, Doppelganger, a bay colt by Into Mischief, appears headed to the Kentucky Derby Trail in what will be the 80th running of the San Vicente.

Baffert's Pinehurst, a winner of the G1 Del Mar Futurity in his second start, will no doubt vie for favoritism with Doppelganger as he cuts back in distance following a fifth place finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Baffert will also send out McLaren Vale, who broke his maiden at first asking with John Velazquez and will be ridden by Abel Cedillo on Saturday.

Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom, second to highly regarded Messier in a G3 stakes Nov. 14, has plenty of early speed and rates a big chance with Juan Hernandez back aboard.

A $570,000 purchase as a yearling, Doppelganger, who is out of the Quiet American mare Twice the Lady, was shuffled well back in his debut Dec. 11 at Los Alamitos, but was in-hand with Prat as he cruised into contention and responded with an impressive stretch kick when called upon to win off by 3 ½ lengths going six furlongs. Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, Doppelganger earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure and appears to have any kind of future.

A first-out maiden winner going five furlongs on Aug. 1 as the 8-5 favorite, Pinehurst was off at 4-1 in the Del Mar Futurity and won with consummate ease by 4 ½ lengths. With regular rider Mike Smith committed to ride eventual winner Corniche in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, John Velazquez took over and although Pinehurst was attentive to the pace, he tired through the lane to be beaten 8 ½ lengths at a mile and one sixteenth.

A $385,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Pinehurst, who is owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, is easily the leading money earner in the field with $272,000 and will be reunited with Smith for what will be his fourth start.

An impressive first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 21 at Del Mar, Forbidden Kingdom, a $300,000 yearling purchase who is by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, transitioned to five furlongs on turf in the ungraded Speakeasy Stakes here on Oct. 1 and was third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths as the 9-5 favorite.

Subsequently second, beaten 3 ½ lengths on dirt going seven furlongs by Baffert's Messier in the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 14, Forbidden Kingdom will also be making his fourth start on Saturday. Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Forbidden Kingdom is out of the Five Star Day mare Just Louise.

THE GRADE 2 SAN VICENTE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 9 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

Forbidden Kingdom—Juan Hernandez—120
Pinehurst—Mike Smith—124
McLaren Vale—Abel Cedillo–120
Doppelganger—Flavien Prat—120
What in Blazes—Tyler Baze–120

The San Vicente, an important prep for the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, is one of three graded stakes on Saturday. First post time for a nine-race card is at 12:30 p.m., with admission gates opening at 10:30 p.m.

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Street Sense ‘Rising Star’ Gets the ‘Bob’ as Baffert Completes San Vicente Exacta

'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense) had to work a bit harder Saturday than his 2-5 odds for Santa Anita's GII San Vicente S. might have predicted, but it's never easy to hook a Bob Baffert runner–even when you're one yourself. A 3 1/2-length debut winner while earning a solid 88 Beyer Speed Figure going a furlong shorter Jan. 15, the Gary and Mary West homebred broke on top from the outside six hole, but was soon outsprinted by stablemate Freedom Fighter (Violence). The bay sat perched in third behind splits of :23.41 and :45.98, and sidled up to the leader heading for home. Freedom Fighter put up plenty of resistance, but Concert Tour found a little bit more late to earn the decision by a half length.

“Freedom Fighter just broke like a rocket ship, he's really fast and been doing really well,” said Baffert, who has now won a record 11 San Vicentes and the last two renewals. “[Joel] Rosario [on Concert Tour] was trying to teach this horse how to rate a little bit and I thought they were going to get into a speed duel. I think it was a good race for both of them. I learned a lot about [Concert Tour], how he wants to run and maybe he doesn't need blinkers. He's pretty sharp. That's why we have these races. Now they go to where I can stretch them out. This horse has two races under his belt, but those were two really good horses.”

With another uber deep bench of sophomores, Baffert will be taking a wait-and-see approach as to who will run where along the GI Kentucky Derby trail.

“[Concert Tour] will be nominated everywhere, we will see how he comes out of it,” said the Hall of Famer. “He's pretty keyed up as well. He showed his heart and determination. I knew the other horse was going to give him a run for his money and he did. He's going to improve off of that also.”

Saturday, Santa Anita
SAN VICENTE S.-GII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 2-6, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.06, ft.
1–CONCERT TOUR, 120, c, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Purse Strings, by Tapit
2nd Dam: My Red Porsche, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Wind Chime, by Marfa
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Gary & Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Joel Rosario. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $156,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Freedom Fighter, 120, c, 3, Violence–Canadian Ballet, by City Zip. ($120,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC & Robert E Masterson; B-Troy Reed (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–The Chosen Vron, 120, g, 3, Vronsky–Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful. O-J Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh; B-Tiz Molly Partners (CA); T-J Eric Kruljac. $24,000.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 6. Odds: 0.40, 5.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Found My Ball, Uncle Boogie. Scratched: Mr. Impossible. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:

Concert Tour is the 77th stakes winner (35 graded) for champion juvenile and fellow 'Rising Star' Street Sense and second out of a Tapit mare, joining track-and-trip 2019 GII Triple Bend S. winner Air Strike. Baffert also trained Street Sense's highest earner to date in MGISW 'Rising Star' McKinzie, and for the Wests conditioned 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day, by Street Sense's sire Street Cry. New Year's Day in turn sired the West's champion 3-year-old Maximum Security.

Concert Tour is one of a growing 42 stakes winners (18 graded) for top sire Tapit. The Wests paid $240,000 for his dam Purse Strings at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. After six runner-up finishes, mostly routing, she cut back to break through in her 12th and final lifetime start at the end of her 4-year-old season. One of Tapit's early standouts, champion 2-year-old filly Stardom Bound, is out of a SW/MGSP half-sister to Concert Tour's second dam My Red Porsche. That second dam is by Mt. Livermore, the broodmare sire of Street Sense's top filly and second leading earner Sweet Reason.

Purse Strings produced a Lookin At Lucky colt in 2020 before being bred back to American Freedom.

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