Arcadia – The Santa Anita derby on Saturday will present one of the biggest confrontations in the recent history of the race, but also one of the smallest areas of its 90th birthday.
The first meeting of journalism, winner of the consecutive issues and Citizen Bull, winner of three consequences and the 2 -year championship for 2024, should determine the favorite for the Kentucky Derby of May 3.
The fact that the $ 500,000 race of grade I of more than 1 1/8 miles attracted only five participants on Monday is significant because it could affect if Barnes or Baeza earn enough points to qualify for Kentucky Derby.
According to a new rule this season, the qualification races of Kentucky Derby with only five starters attribute three -quarters of their planned points (and races with four or less half of the points). Santa Anita’s race, intended to be worth 100, 50, 25, 15 and 10 for the best finisters, is now worth 75, 37 1/2, 18 1/4, 11 1/4 and 7 ½ (and it would be 50, 25, 12 ½, 7 ½ and 5 if a horse is striped).
It is usually 40 points or more to enter the 20 horsepower Kentucky derby. With the calendar of original points, Barnes, which has won 18 ¾ so far, could climb more than 40 years by finishing the third or better on Saturday, and Baeza, which has no points, could obtain more than 40 by finishing second or better; But now Barnes must finish at least second and Baeza must win.
“It would harm our chances (to do the Kentucky Derby),” said John Shirreffs, Baeza coach on Monday morning as the possibility of a five -horsepower field is looming.
But Shirreffs refused to be shot.
“What is exciting is that you are in the Santa Anita derby with a pretty horse, so you hope to win the race, right? The Kentucky Derby is somewhere in the future,” said Shirreffs, who won the Santa Anita Derby with Tiago in 2007 and Gormley in 2017 and Kentucky Derby with Giago in 2005.
Shirreffs entered the Maiden Westwood as well as the single winner Baeza to bring the ground to five.
Bob Baffert, the winner of Nine Time Anita Derby and six times winner of Kentucky Derby, Form Barnes as well as Citizen Bull. The latter is safe in the field of Kentucky Derby with 60 points for winning the American minors Pharoah Stakes and Breeders’ Cup last year and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on February 1.
Michael McCarthy forms journalism. This colt has a safe 47.5 points after winning the Los Alamitos Futurity in December and the San Felipe stakes on March 1, the latter also a five -horsepower race which has granted reduced points.
The favorites attracted the interior post positions for the Santa Anita derby. Here is the programming in the order of departure doors: journalism, Jockey Umberto Rispoli; Citizen Bull, Martin Garcia; Westwood, Tiago Pereira; Barnes, Juan Hernandez and Baeza, Hector Berrios.
The five horses will match at least starters in a derby of Santa Anita. There were few in 2006 (when brother Derek won) and 1946 (Knockdown).
The derby is the 10th race on a map of 12 races from noon. The sun and a 73 -degree summit are scheduled for Saturday in Arcadia.
California Daily Newspapers
