Fog City Stable's Roman Ruler is scheduled to make his long awaited three year old debut in Saturday's Grade Two $250,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita. Roman Ruler has not raced since finishing a close up fifth in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile (GI) at Lone Star in late October. He was scheduled to run in the San Vicente (GII) on February 13, but was a late scratch due to a minor foot ailment.

Roman Ruler has looked spectacular in several morning workouts, including a mile drill from the gate on March 9 with stable-mate Preachinatthebar, where he worked on even terms with his company in a solid 1:38 3/5 seconds. Roman Ruler has worked from the gate three of the last four morning drills. Trainer Bob Baffert has said that the gate activity stems from just "wanting to sharpen him up."

Roman Ruler has won 3 of 5 career starts, including two graded stakes. His only try over the Santa Anita surface led to an easy win last October in the Norfolk Stakes (GII) racing a 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as Saturday's San Felipe. Hall of Fame rider, Gary Stevens, will ride Roman Ruler, who has been ridden by Corey Nakatani for his entire career, for the first time.

Weather could play a big part in the outcome of the San Felipe. Rain is expected to hit Southern California yet another time on Friday morning and continue into Saturday, almost assuredly to influence the surface for the San Felipe.

The full field for the San Felipe from the rail out with riders and equal weights includes, Don't Get Mad (Tyler Baze) 116; Lucky J. H. (John Court) 116; In Excelsis (Alex Solis) 116; Giacomo (Mike Smith) 116; Roman Ruler (Gary Stevens) 116;Wilko (Corey Nakatani) 116; Golden Shine ( Rene Dougles) 116; and Consolidator (Rafael Bejarano) 116.

The main threat to ruin Roman Ruler's return to the races appears to be B. Wayne Hughes' Ron Ellis trained Don't get Mad. Don't Get Mad showed a tremendous turn of foot in his last start to finish second in the seven furlong San Vicente. The extra distance Saturday of the San Felipe should certainly help Don't Get Mad and it doesn't hurt that he's already showed he could handle a rain-influenced surface in the San Vicente.

Consolidator, owned by Bob & Beverly Lewis, looks to make amends for his disappointing last place finish in a short four-horse field in the San Vicente. Consolidator has worked well since his last start and is another who may improve with the longer distance of the San Felipe.

Reddam & Roy's Breeder's Cup Champion Wilko will make his first start as a 3 year-old in the San Felipe. Wilko has not raced since finishing a close up third to Eclipse Awarding winning two-year-old Declan's Moon in the Hollywood Futurity (GI last December. Wilko has been training well in the mornings under the watchful eye of trainer Craig Dollase at Hollywood Park.

With Declan's Moon watching from the sidelines as a result of a minor knee injury. The west coast's Kentucky Derby picture has become just as cloudy as the weather all winter in Southern California. After Saturday's San Felipe the main contenders for that first Saturday in May should become much clearer. Let's hope the weather follows suit.

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