Kentucky Derby Blog

Alphie’s Bet won the $150,000 Sham Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths Saturday.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Alphie’s Bet ran 1 1-8 miles in 1:48.72 on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface.

Setsuko was second as the 5-2 wagering favorite and The Program, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was another head back in third in the field of 10 colts.

Alphie’s Bet is nominated to the Triple Crown races, but he needs to increase his graded stakes earnings in the coming weeks to have a shot at making the Kentucky Derby field, capped at 20 starters. The Sham victory, worth $90,000, increased his career earnings to $141,320.

Alphie’s Bet paid $19, $8.40 and $4.80 at 8-1 odds. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Setsuko returned $4.40 and $3.20, while The Program paid $4 to show.

Watch the replay.

Heavy rain forced the postponement of the $150,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Track officials said Saturday that heavy overnight and early morning rain was expected to continue throughout the day, causing drainage problems with the synthetic track. However, they are scheduled to rain today.

The Sham will be run March 6, with the field redrawn for the 1 1/16-mile race that is a major prep for the Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Ten unproven colts will go to the gate at Santa Anita on Saturday for the 1 1/8 mile, Grade 3 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds, a pre-lim to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and, more important, a big step toward earning entry into the Kentucky Derby on May 1. The winner will have to impress here in order to harbor a legitimate shot at eventually shipping to Louisville.

“Hope” is the key word in $150,000 Sham Stakes as only one of the 10-year-olds entered in the 1 1/8-mile race over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita has stakes experience. Two colts from the barns of Hall of Fame trainers loom as the likely favorites and they could emerge as fresh-faced contenders on the road to Churchill Downs and the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on Saturday, May 1.

One is The Program, who is coming off a narrow victory over stablemate Indian Firewater in a Santa Anita allowance race and will be ridden by Martin Garcia. The latter returned to run second in last week’s Turf Paradise Derby. Owned by Thoroughbred Legends Stable, The Program ran fourth to another Baffert-trained stablemate, champion 2-year-old Lookin At Lucky, in Hollywood Park’s CashCall Futurity (GI).

Another likely to draw attention is Setsuko, a son of Pleasantly Perfect trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. Setsuko has run five straight races at two-turn distances and Rafael Bejarano will be in the saddle.

Other contenders include Darley’s Kettle River, who brings a two-race winning streak into the Sham for trainer Eoin Harty; Nextdoorneighbor, a Mike Machowsky-trained son of Lido Palace who scored an impressive maiden victory at 1 1/16 miles last out; and trainer Ken McPeek’s Outlaw Man, a winner on grass in his last start.

Post Positions (Post Time: 4:07, 8th Race)

Odds-on favorite The Pamplemousse once again used a front running trip Saturday to capture the $200,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The 1 1/8 mile Sham is a prep for the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, April 4.

Last year the Sham was won by Colonel John who would later win the Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes. Four years ago Giacomo finished third before winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

Racing on Santa Anita’s all-weather surface, The Pamplemousse stopped the timer at 1:47.86.

The Pamplemousse paid $3.00, $2.60 and $2.40. Take the Points returned $4.00 and $3.60, and Mr. Hot Stuff paid $3.60 to show.

Two full fields of Kentucky Derby prospects go to the post Saturday in Gulfstream’s $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes and Santa Anita’s $200,000 Sham Stakes, both Grade II events. Both races attracted a dozen entrants today.

Here are the race details and entries.

Fountain of Youth

Post time: Saturday at 5:14 p.m. EST at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Purse: $250,000. Distance: mile. Television: HRTV.

PP HORSE (WEIGHT)            JOCKEY     TRAINER
1. Bee Cee Cee (120)         Velasquez  Plesa
2. Theregoesjojo (116)       Desormeaux McPeek
3. Notonthesamepage (120)    Trujillo   W. Ward
4. Take the Points (116)     DeCarlo    Pletcher
5. Jack Spratt (120)         Douglas    M. Maker
6. Rocketing Returns (116)   Lezcano    Zito
7. Beethoven (122)           Borel      J. Ward
8. Break Water Edison (122)  Coa        Kimmel
9. Capt. Candyman Can (122)  Leparoux   Wilkes
10. Taqarub (120)            Garcia     McLaughlin
11. Quality Road (114)       Velazquez  J. Jerkens   Winner
12. This Ones for Phil (120) Prado      Dutrow

The Sham Stakes

Post time: Saturday at 7:38 p.m. EST at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Purse: $200,000. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. Television: HRTV.

PP HORSE (WEIGHT)           JOCKEY       TRAINER
1. Hi Flyin Indy (116)      A. Quinonez  Harty
2. Smart Bid (118)          Bejarano     Motion
3. Tiz True (116)           Gryder       Hofmans
4. Lifeline (116)           T. Baze      Cho
5. The Pamplemousse (118)   Solis        Canani    Winner
6. Balfour Park (116)       Blanc        Lewis
7. Mr. Hot Stuff (116)      Nakatani     Harty
8. Bourbon Bay (116)        Rosario      Drysdale
9. Ventana (116)            Rios         Baffert
10. Mark S the Cooler (116) Talamo       O'Neill
11. Unbridled Roman (116)   Smith        Paasch
12. Take the Points (118)   Gomez        Pletcher

There are two more Derby prep races this weekends. The race details are below.

$150,000 El Camino Real Derby (G3, Race 8, 4:15 p.m.), 1 1/16 Miles, 3-Year-Olds

1. Nikki’sgoldensteed, Jon Court, 9-2
2. General Dan, Kyle Kaenel, 20-1
3. Autism Awareness, Luis Contreras, 30-1
4. Bamaha Breeze, Luis Martinez, 8-1
5. Tres Borrachos, Martin Garcia, 10-1
6. Pleasure Grounds, Chad Schvaneveldt, 6-1
7. Behindatthebar, Michael Baze, 7-2,
8. Coast Guard, Aaron Gryder, 5-2
9. Dreamed Day, Frank Alvarado, 30-1
10. Master Daniel, Russell Baze, 6-1

$250,000 Sham Stakes (G3, Race 9, 4:50 pm), 1 1/16 Miles, 3 Year Olds Stakes
1. Giant Moon, Dominguez R A, 7-2
2. Laysh Laysh Laysh, Pino M G, 15-1
3. Roman Emperor, Rose J, 6-1
4. Saratoga Russell, Coa E M, 4-1
5. Southern Terminus, Elliott S, 8-1
6. Holidaze, Luzzi M J, 15-1
7. Texas Wildcatter, Arroyo N Jr, 12-1
8. Larrys Revenge, Bravo J, 15-1
9. Ling Ling Qi, Maragh R, 12-1
10. Visionaire, Lezcano J,3-1