Potente guns for San Felipe/Santa Anita Derby double

Mar 31, 2026 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Potente and jockey Juan Hernandez win the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

Although Brant and Plutarch will not make it to the Kentucky Derby (G1), Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's bench of three-year-olds, as usual, remains deep. On Saturday, his attempt to win a record-extending 10th victory in the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) relies on Potente and Cherokee Nation.

The Santa Anita Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 100-50-25-15-10 to the respective top five finishers. It shares the program with the $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) for three-year-old fillies, a 1 1/16-mile test which will issue a similar breakdown in qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Kentucky Derby Roundup: Potente, The Puma gain momentum. 🌹 @j_keelerman @kentuckyderbyhttps://t.co/mPpJrK7Hfb

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The late-developing Potente enters the Santa Anita Derby off a narrow, upset win in the San Felipe (G2) in his second lifetime start. While that win alone would have guaranteed him a spot in next month's Kentucky Derby in most years, insurance points in the Santa Anita Derby might be necessary to secure his place, with foreign entries likely to take up three of the Kentucky Derby's 20 slots.

Winless in his first five starts, including uncompetitive runs in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and Robert B. Lewis (G3), Cherokee Nation reenters the Kentucky Derby picture off a dazzling maiden victory by 10 lengths, for which he earned a 103 Brisnet Speed rating.

Besides the Baffert duo, the more logical Santa Anita Derby contenders include American Pharoah (G1) winner Intrepido, a sharp second to the sidelined Plutarch in the one-mile Robert B. Lewis two months ago. Robusta, who at 67-1 nearly won the San Felipe in a monumental upset, re-opposes Potente. San Vicente (G2) victor So Happy, who pressed the pace in the San Felipe before weakening to third, is also a likely threat.

The Baffert-trained Forced Entry might go favored in the Santa Anita Oaks following a 1 3/4-length success in the Santa Ysabel (G3) over Bank Shot and French Blue. However, the Gun Runner filly Meaning looked strong, defeating Explora in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes S., and has not yet approached her ceiling.

Post time for the Santa Anita Oaks is 5:30 p.m. ET, while the Santa Anita Derby goes at 7:30 p.m. Both races can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.