Head to Head: View each San Felipe contender 2 ways

Laurie

Ashley

1. Scatify (6-1)

Scatify entered the Robert B. Lewis Stakes after graduating at first asking by a half-length after a lengthy stretch battle. In the Robert B. Lewis, he was quarter-horsed to the lead by Hector Berrios. This was likely his undoing since he had little left for the stretch drive, gradually weakening and letting Wine Me Up grad second place. Despite the setback, the John Sadler trainee’s Brisnet speed rating increased two points to 90. Scatify is by third-ranked third-crop sire Justify and is the first foal out of the stakes-winning turf sprinter Broadway Run. He had a sharp, four-furlong breeze in 47.8 seconds two works back, plus a moderate five-furlong move in 1:02.40. Scatify should regroup here and is bred for two turns. Preferably, he won’t be used on the lead and can draft behind the pace. Exotics.

By Justify, Scatify was a debut winner for trainer John Sadler in a six-furlong maiden event at Los Alamitos on Dec. 16. After hitting the gate at the start, Scatify raced wide, ranging into contention on the far turn. He took over at the quarter pole and gamely battled the runner-up to prevail by 1/2 length at the wire. The last two finishers from that field were both next-out winners. But one dropped into claiming company before winning a listed stake, and the other beat a mix of quarter horses and Thoroughbreds in a 1,000-yard dash. Last out, Scatify was part of the Robert B. Lewis pace but yielded to Nysos and Wine Me Up, finishing third beaten by 8 1/4 lengths. Scatify did earn a career-best 101 Equibase speed figure for that effort, however, and should factor into this race. Exotics.

2. Wine Me Up (8-1)   

Wine Me Up pressed Scatify in the Robert B. Lewis and steadily kept his position throughout the race. He moved past his weakening foe late to keep second place behind his brilliant stablemate Nysos. The Bob Baffert trainee’s speed ratings are consistently in the 90s and show a steady one-paced runner with a high cruising speed. Wine Me Up is by fourth-ranked second-crop sire Vino Rosso, and out of the multiple stakes winning turf mare Deanaallen'skitten. Wine Me Up is bred to love distance and is the only one in the field with experience at 1 1/16 miles. Expect Wine Me Up to shadow the San Felipe pacesetter for a similar result to the Robert B. Lewis. Exotics.

By Vino Rosso, Wine Me Up is 1-for-5 lifetime for trainer Bob Baffert. The colt debuted a winner in September, taking a 6-furlong maiden field gate to wire. Next out he was a solid runner-up to stablemate Muth in the American Pharoah (G1). Perhaps the pretty chestnut had a bit too much wine because things went awry in starts three and four. Wine Me Up was a dismal eighth of nine in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), beaten by 28 1/2 lengths. Baffert tried to end the colt on a good note, but Wine Me Up was bested by stablemates Wynstock, who was most recently 11th in the Southwest (G3), Coach Prime and Stronghold, who most recently won the Sunland Park Derby (G3). Wine Me Up got back on track and ran a strong race last out in the Robert B. Lewis to get second, 7 1/2 lengths behind brilliant stablemate Nysos. He earned a career-best 103 Equibase speed figure. This colt may not be able to beat his stablemate, but he should certainly take home a check. Juan Hernandez retains the mount for trainer Bob Baffert. Without Nysos in the field, he is a win contender.

4. Mc Vay (15-1)

Still a maiden, poor McVay is tossed against the big boys once again. He’s lost all three starts by a combined 31 1/2 lengths. Constitution’s son is out of the Union Rags mare Dothraki Sea. She’s a 3/4 sister to Grade 1 winner Dixie Chatter and a half to Grade 3 winner Rumor. Despite a nice pedigree, Mc Vay was the “Why is he in here?” horse in the R.B. Lewis and again in the San Felipe. I’m surprised that the usually conservative John A. Shirreffs entered here, yet again. Pass.

By Constitution, Mc Vay is winless in three starts for trainer John Shirreffs. In his debut, the colt finished seventh beaten by 12 1/2 lengths by winner Wine Me Up. That race was on Sept. 2, and Mc Vay did not make his second start until Jan. 20, when he was second beaten by 7 1/2 lengths. Last out, Mc Vay was fourth beaten by 12 1/2 lengths, behind Nysos, Wine Me Up, and Scatify. Shirreffs is winless in graded stakes, 24 percent in the money, over the past year, according to Race Lens. Antonio Fresu, who will be the colt’s fourth jockey in as many starts, takes the reins. Pass.

5. Imagination (6-1)

Imagination found the third time was the charm, graduating by 1 3/4 lengths, and getting his final furlong in 12.93 seconds. He wasn’t pushed in his debut against Pilot Commander, who would return to place in the San Vicente (G2). In his second start, the Bob Baffert trainee played bumper cars down the stretch in and while he was focused on the eventual third-place finisher, he was nipped at the wire by Better than Gold, who returned to a sixth-place finish in the R.B. Lewis. In his last race, Imagination battled down the stretch with stablemate Maymun, but lost the photo. Into Mischief’s son is out of the Grade 2 winning sprinter, Magical Feeling, and his full sister Occult won the Monmouth Oaks (G3), Busher Stakes, and placed in the Acorn (G1) and Mother Goose (G2). Their half-brother Exulting is a multiple stakes-winning miler. Imagination has tactical speed but hasn’t shown the “killer instinct,” having lost two starts by a neck. Still, he has shown consistent speed and, without Nysos, is a win contender.

By Into Mischief, Imagination has just one victory from four starts but has never been out of the exacta. In his debut, Imagination was beaten by Pilot Commander, who was second to stablemate Muth in the San Vicente (G2) in his next start. In the colt’s second start, he was second to Better Than Gold, who was most recently sixth in the Robert B. Lewis (G2). Imagination won his third career start, and two of his four rivals were next-out winners. Last out, Imagination lost by a neck to undefeated stablemate Maymun. I do find it interesting that Imagination shows up in this spot but not Maymun. Imagination did earn a career-high 101 Equibase speed figure in his defeat last out. Frankie Dettori takes over from regular rider Flavien Prat. Use underneath.

Laurie

Ashley

5. Imagination (6-1)

1. Scatify (6-1)

1. Scatify (6-1)

2. Wine Me Up (8-1)

5. Imagination (6-1)