—Apr 7— Bob Baffert is well aware of the stakes. After announcing that his star colt, McKinzie, would not run in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday due to an unspecified back-leg injury, the four-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer has just two horses eligible to compete in the Derby: Solomini and Justify.
Solomini ranks fourteenth in qualifying points and is unlikely to draw into the six-horse field. That leaves Justify, the obviously talented son of Scat Daddy, whose only previous start was an easy two-length win in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The problem for Baffert is that the El Camino Real Derby win leaves Justify with just 10 qualifying points. He will need to win the Santa Anita Derby to be assured a spot in the Kentucky Derby field.
While it is highly likely that Justify will be odds-on in the Santa Anita Derby, the field in the Santa Anita Derby makes the race far from a slam dunk.
Bold d’Oro stands as the chief competition. An easy winner of the California Derby in January, Bold d’Oro followed that win with a second-place finish to McKinzie in the San Felipe Stakes in March.
Core Beliefs followed a third-place showing in the California Derby with a win in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes here in early February. He finished fifth to Justify in the El Camino Real Derby but was beaten just five-and-a-half lengths. It is not inconceivable for him to turn the tables on Saturday.
Axelrod finished third on the turf last time out, but has been competitive with these on the dirt as has Twin Creeks Farm’s Lombo.
Instilled Regard, the runaway winner of the Lecomte Stakes in January, was atop everyone’s list of Derby hopefuls after that effort but has since run poorly in the Risen Star and Private Terms Stakes.
Retro Horse Racing Game 