Study Guide: 2024 San Felipe Stakes

Feb 29, 2024 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Sunday with the running of the $300,000 San Felipe S. (G2) at Santa Anita, a 1 1/16-mile qualifier worth 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers.

A small field of five horses will contest the San Felipe, which has produced 13 Kentucky Derby (G1) winners through the years. Let’s take a horse-by-horse look at the entries:

Note: Since trainer Bob Baffert is currently suspended by Churchill Downs Inc., horses trained by Baffert are ineligible to earn Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points.

---

Scatify

Start(s): 2

Wins: 1

Place: 0

Show: 1

 

Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds

Breeder: Doug Branham and Felicia Branham

Trainer: John Sadler

Jockey: Hector Berrios

 

Top Speed Rating: (90) when finishing third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.

Total Earnings: $51,000

 

Sire: Justify

Dam: Broadway Run

Color: Chestnut

The lightly raced Scatify won his debut sprinting six furlongs at Los Alamitos, then stepped up in class and distance to finish third in the one-mile Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita. He missed second place by less than one length against the more experienced Wine Me Up and still has upside while making only his third start, so don’t count Scatify out of the mix for a top-three finish.

---

Wine Me Up

Start(s): 5

Wins: 1

Place: 2

Show: 0

 

Owner: Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman

Breeder: Kenneth L. Ramsey and Sarah K. Ramsey

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Juan Hernandez

 

Top Speed Rating: (96) when finishing fourth in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) at Los Alamitos.

Total Earnings: $181,200

 

Sire: Vino Rosso

Dam: Deanaallen’skitten

Color: Chestnut

Wine Me Up has competed in four straight Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, finishing second in the American Pharoah (G1), eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), fourth in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), and second in the Robert B. Lewis. The son of Vino Rosso has every chance to record another respectable finish on Sunday, though turning the tables on runaway Lewis winner Nysos won’t be easy.

---

Nysos

Start(s): 3

Wins: 3

Place: 0

Show: 0

 

Owner: Baoma Corp

Breeder: Susie Atkins

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Flavien Prat

 

Top Speed Rating: (102) when winning the Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar.

Total Earnings: $216,600

 

Sire: Nyquist

Dam: Zetta Z

Color: Bay

The horse to beat in the San Felipe is the undefeated Nysos, whose three consecutive victories include blowout scores in the Bob Hope (G3) and Robert B. Lewis. He won the latter race by 7 1/2 lengths over San Felipe rivals Wine Me Up, Scatify, and Mc Vay, so anything close to a repeat performance will make Nysos formidable this Sunday.

---

Mc Vay

Start(s): 3

Wins: 0

Place: 1

Show: 0

 

Owner: C R K Stable

Breeder: Band of Brothers

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Jockey: Antonio Fresu

 

Top Speed Rating: (84) when finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.

Total Earnings: $25,500

 

Sire: Constitution

Dam: Dothraki Sea

Color: Dark bay/brown

Mc Vay has shown flashes of talent across three starts, most notably finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis. But he’s yet to win a race and finished from 12 lengths to 4 1/4 lengths behind Nysos, Wine Me Up, and Scatify in the Lewis, so Mc Vay will need improvement to challenge for a stronger finish in the rematch.

---

Imagination

Start(s): 4

Wins: 1

Place: 3

Show: 0

 

Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom J. Ryan

Breeder: Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Frankie Dettori

 

Top Speed Rating: (94) when breaking his maiden at Santa Anita.

Total Earnings: $76,800

 

Sire: Into Mischief

Dam: Magical Feeling

Color: Bay

Sold for $1.05 million as a yearling, Imagination has finished first or second in each of his four starts. He was beaten only a neck in a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita last time out, a race that elapsed in the quick time of 1:36.65 for one mile. A top-three finish is within reach while stepping up in class under internationally renowned jockey Frankie Dettori.