Columnist Ralph Siraco: Santa Anita showdown could put Derby in focus

Ralph Siraco

Monday, March 29, 1999 | 9:38 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View, Las Vegas, NV 89107.

Stephen Got Even on Saturday. And if the sophomore son of A.P. Indy flashes the same brilliance in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May as he did this past Saturday in the Gallery Furniture.com Stakes, he'll also get even for his famous sire, who dropped out of the 1992 Derby hours before it ran.

As you may recall, A.P. Indy was scratched the morning of his Derby try with a hoof problem that kept the Santa Anita Derby winner from a chance of a lifetime. That left Lil E. Tee to win the roses, as European superstar Arazi never fired.

But if trainer Nick Zito thinks he has any chance at all, Stephen Got Even will make the starting gate on May 1 for his chance of a lifetime. Zito, who has won a pair of Derby trophies this decade (Strike The Gold in 1991 and Go For Gin in 1994), plans to train the lightly raced but talented chestnut up to the Derby. Of course, the 51-year-old conditioner does have a backup in the form of Wondertross (second in the Florida Derby) and Adonis, as he positions himself for a Derby-decade hat trick.

It appears the Brooklyn, N.Y., native may be in better shape with less than five weeks to the Kentucky Derby than his more famous counterpart, Bob Baffert.

Baffert started the road to the Derby loaded for bear, and although he has been hit by some defections from his potent group of Derby hopefuls, the silver-haired trainer still has a bullet or two left in the holster for his chance of a lifetime and a record third consecutive Derby win.

Of course if not for the well-placed nose of one Grindstone in the 1996 Kentucky Derby, Baffert would be attempting to extend his own record. Baffert -- with his first-ever Derby starter -- finished second with Cavonnier in that thrilling photo finish and has since garnered America's most famous horse race with Silver Charm the following year and Real Quiet in last year's renewal.

As impressive as Stephen Got Even was in the Grade II $750,000 GF.com at Turfway Park, it is the Santa Anita Derby that has produced more Kentucky Derby winners this decade than any other prep for that event.

Run at the same distance as the GF.com, the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby also carries a $750,000 purse. With a richer history and traditionally gathering the best of the West Coast contenders each year, the Santa Anita prep has Grade I status.

The 61st edition of the Santa Anita Derby runs on Saturday and promises to be another assemblage of the best of the West in quest of roses in the bluegrass. Only the April 10 trio of the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct remain as other key preps for the spring classic.

Of the 34 Santa Anita Derby starters who have gone on to start in the Kentucky Derby in the last ten years, a dozen have finished in the money with three -- Sunday Silence 1989, Silver Charm 1987 and Real Quiet 1998 -- grabbing the roses.

And of the trio that won, Baffert trained the most recent pair.

Although Baffert saw his top Derby hopeful Exploit suffer a career-ending setback in the March 13 San Felipe at Santa Anita, it was another Baffert trainee, Prime Timber, who handed him the loss.

In the wake of other stablemate defeats, it seems Baffert's main hopes lie with Prime Timber and possibly one of his outstanding 3-year-old fillies, Silverbulletday or Excellent Meeting.

General Challenge, who lost the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds, and Straight Man, who fell apart in the GF.com, may prompt the trainer to try one of the fillies against the boys and join another damsel already committed to the Derby, Three Ring.

Silverbulletday is still scheduled for the Kentucky Oaks the day before the Derby, and Excellent Meeting was anything but overwhelming in winning the March 14 Santa Anita Oaks against her own gender.

So, it's Prime Timber to the lead of the Baffert contingent, while Zito has Stephen Got Even in front of Adonis and Wondertross, who will race in the Bluegrass next.

However, Zito and Baffert should be looking over their shoulders for a flash from Dubai. Word out of the desert has the former American runner Worldly Manner stirring the sands. He won a Kentucky Derby "simulated" prep at Dubai last week in impressive fashion, and the unconventional road to the Derby the Arabian royalty are taking with him should not be taken as some mere hot wind from the region.

Before he was swept to Dubai, the son of Riverman was raising eyebrows with decisive victories as a 2-year last summer at Del Mar.

And don't forget the only horse that has won more than one of the Derby preps to date. Vicar reeled off gutty efforts at Gulfstream Park this winter in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and proved that was no fluke with a repeat win in the Grade I Florida Derby.

It remains to be seen if he needs Gulfstream's racing strip to perform well, but it also should be noted that Vicar finished second to Exploit in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club on November 28 at Churchill Downs after breaking his maiden at that Derby track last year as a 2-year-old.

The Santa Anita Derby should answer a few questions from the Left Coast. General Challenge gets an equipment change to blinkers and returns back home for this one. Desert Hero, who flashed brilliance in his San Rafael Stakes win on February 28 and a debut maiden victory, has changed trainers since he last raced. Wally Dollace has been replaced as Desert Hero's conditioner by trainer Alex Hassinger.

And the flashy filly Honest Lady gets a rematch against the boys after a gutty losing effort in the aforementioned San Rafael. Once thought to be Derby material by trainer Bobby Frankel, the daughter of Seattle Slew could see her last chance for the Derby disappear if she does not perform well at Arcadia.