El Gato Malo confronts a Massive Drama in San Rafael

The road to the Kentucky Derby (GI) in Southern California kicks off in Saturday's $150,000 San Rafael S. (GIII) with a field of seven sophomores, and EL GATO MALO (El Corredor) and MASSIVE DRAMA (Kafwain) are the main attractions. El Gato Malo will put his unbeaten mark on the line in the one-mile event, having broken his maiden by 5 1/2 lengths at Hollywood Park in mid-November before recording a facile 4 1/4-length score in the December 15 Gold Rush S. at Golden Gate Fields. The Craig Dollase-trained colt will pick up the services of David Flores.

Massive Drama captured his first two outings, including a 1 3/4-length score in the Hollywood Prevue S. (GIII), before suffering his first setback in the CashCall Futurity (GI) on December 22. The Bob Baffert runner finished a respectable third last time, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), and he'll attempt to regain his winning ways under new pilot Rafael Bejarano on Saturday.

TALK OF THE CAT (Tale of the Cat) will make his stakes bow for Todd Pletcher after breaking his maiden by 5 1/2 lengths at Hollywood Park, and OVERBID (Pulpit), who exits a fast-finishing victory over maiden special weight rivals in his career debut at Hollywood, will also tackle winners for the first time.

Grade 3-placed INDIAN SUN (Indian Charlie) and multiple stakes winner SIERRA SUNSET (Bertrando), the respective fifth- and sixth-place runners in the CashCall Futurity, are also in the field. Maiden winner SPINNING SOUND (Ire) (Spinning World), who has raced exclusively on turf so far, rounds out the line-up.

El Gato Malo will lead the post parade under a 119-pound impost. Next comes Talk of a Cat, Garrett Gomez, 116; Sierra Sunset, Victor Espinoza, 122; Overbid, Michael Baze, 116; Indian Sun, Alex Solis, 116; Massive Drama, 119; and Spinning Sound, Tyler Baze, 116.

-Brisnet Editorial