Derby News

Photo By: Adam Coglianese

Stevie Wonderboy, capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, returns in Saturday's San Rafael

It may be early in the year, but the Saturday's San Rafael (GII) is shaping up as a key race on the west coast on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Stevie Wonderboy, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner, and Brother Derek, already a winner twice at two turns but fourth behind Stevie in the Breeders' Cup, figure as the two big favorites in the one mile San Rafael at Santa Anita.

Stevie Wonderboy will likely go off the favorite, but he's not raced since the Breeders' Cup in late October, so fitness could be a question. While trainer Doug O'Neill would like to win, this race isn't the ultimate goal.

"In our mind, he’s ready to win," O'Neill said Thursday. "Is this the end goal? No. We definitely want to win this and we think he’s ready to win, but the first Saturday in May is our long-term target, that’s for sure."

Stevie Wonderboy is stabled at Hollywood Park; O'Neill said he would ship over the morning of the race, as is often the case with his Hollywood-based group of runners.

Brother Derek has been out once since the Breeders' Cup, winning the December 17 Hollywood Juvenile (GI) over a strong field that included the promising Your Tent or Mine, Bob and John, and A. P. Warrior. That should have him plenty fit, but he is not a guarantee to be in the starting gate come Saturday.

"The weather could definitely affect us," his trainer, Dan Hendricks, said. "I don’t want to run on an ‘off’ track or a hard, sealed track. There’s no reason to this early in the year. There’s no reason to take a chance, that’s all. I might look at the El Camino (Real Derby at Bay Meadows on Jan. 29) or I might just wait till February. I’m not pressed to run him. He’s fresh and he’s a three-year-old at the beginning of the year, and it’s a long year."

The race drew just six entrants. The field, from the rail out: Woody Be Quick, Corey Nakatani, 116; Brother Derek, Alex Solis, 122; M.J. Pkay, Isaias Enriquez, 116; Wanna Runner, Victor Espinoza, 116; Stevie Wonderboy, Garrett Gomez, 122; and Sailors Sunset, Jon Court, 116.

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