Buetane cost over $1 million and looks to begin justifying the investment
- Turf Diario
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Bob Baffert trainee is the heavy favorite for this Saturday’s San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park
ARCADIA, Californoia (Special to Turf Diario).- Saturday’s card at Santa Anita Park will begin to shape the first classic paths of the season with two key tests for the 2023 generation: the G2 San Vicente S. for colts and the Santa Ynez S. for fillies. Both events are contested over seven furlongs and serve as direct pipelines to the major spring features.
The San Vicente, carded as the fifth race, opens the road to the GI Santa Anita Derby. The main attraction is the return of Buetane (c, 3, Tiz the Law—[Dam], by [BMS]), who exits a runner-up effort in the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga. Conditioned by Bob Baffert for Zedan Racing, the colt commanded $1,150,000 at the OBS April Sale and showed winning character in his Del Mar debut. With Juan Hernandez back in the irons, he aims to solidify his status as a divisional leader.
His rivals include So Happy (Runhappy), a Mark Glatt trainee who debuted with authority at Del Mar, posting a promising 83 Beyer Speed Figure; he will have the veteran hands of Mike Smith aboard. Doug O’Neill sends out a pair of interesting contenders: Acknowledgemeplz (Bucchero), who returns to sprinting after a routing attempt in the Los Alamitos Futurity, and Thirsty Rebel (Stay Thirsty), a wide-margin winner against Cal-breds now ready to test open company.
Earlier in the day, the Santa Ynez S. serves as the first stop toward the GII Santa Anita Oaks and offers qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Oaks. All eyes will be on Explora (f, 3, Blame—[Dam], by [BMS]), the recent runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies following a standout autumn campaign that included a victory in the GII Oak Leaf S.Another Baffert representative, she will be piloted by Juan Hernandez and starts as the clear class of the field.
The lineup, however, offers high-level opposition. Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso), winner of the GI Del Mar Debutante, cuts back to a sprint after an unsuccessful two-turn attempt in the Breeders’ Cup. La Wally (Constitution), trained by Mark Glatt, also reappears after her run in the World Championships, while the John Sadler-trained Revera (Lexitonian) arrives in top form following a win in the Desi Arnaz S. at Del Mar. Rounding out the group is Himika (Curlin), another Baffert runner who remains dangerous in this spot.
