California Chrome, Shared Belief, Dortmund, Lea, El Kabeir, etc...

It’s not often that an afternoon in February has enough quality to capture the imagination of an entire nation of racing fans, but that is exactly what this coming Saturday will do. California Chrome vs. Shared Belief would be enough to make February 7 an important day in the sport, but the showdown in the San Antonio Handicap is far from the only story. First things first, though, and the matchup of two champions, at the top of their respective games, is clearly the biggest of the big on Saturday.

Both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winning Horse of the Year, and the once beaten former Juvenile Champion, came back from tough to swallow losses in America’s richest race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, to win nicely to close out their 2014 seasons. California Chrome effortlessly became a grade 1 winner in his first career turf start in the Hollywood Derby, while Shared Belief scored a brave victory over Conquest Two Step after shortening up for the seven furlong, Grade 1 Malibu. That win was flattered when Conquest Two Step scored a sharp victory in the Palos Verdes Stakes. Two champions, facing off, and in form, it doesn’t get much better than this. Oh, and by the way, the San Antonio is far from a two-horse affair, not with the likes of the streaking Hoppertunity in there.

While the San Antonio will take center stage, Santa Anita has more big doings planned for Saturday. Fans of turf have the Grade 2 San Marcos, at ten furlongs, to satisfy their turf fix, but it is the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis that could have major implications on the road to the 2015 Kentucky Derby.

The 8 ½ furlong test brings back together Dortmund and Firing Line. Two of the top rated prospects on the Derby trail thrilled racing fans last time while make their respective stakes debuts, and finishing 1-2 in a three-horse slobberknocker in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity. Dortmund was favored and got the bob that day, but Firing Line announced himself as an equally exciting prospect for Saturday and beyond.

On the other end of the country, Gulfstream Park answers Santa Anita’s blockbuster afternoon with a graded stakes loaded card headlined by the Grade 1 Donn Handicap. If the scintillating return of Lea left all racefans thirsty for more, we thankfully will not have to wait long for more after his remarkable victory in the Hal’s Hope on January 10.

Remember, the Bill Mott-trained six-year-old was so impressive in this race last year, easily dispatching a high class field that included the champion, Will Take Charge. That day, he set a track record for nine furlongs, stopping the clock in 1:46.86. If his return from a 11-month layoff in the Hal’s Hope was any indication, it looks like the son of First Samurai is back and as good as ever. While Lea looks for two in a row in the prestigious Donn, the up and coming potential star, Liam’s Map, and the plucky, improving East Hall are among those ready to upset his apple cart if he falters.

The Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, at nine furlongs on the green, and always an interesting race, will be second on the hierarchy of big races next Saturday at the South Florida oval. Three other stakes races will help fill out an excellent card at Gulfstream, including the Grade 3 Suwannee River, for the female turfers, the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper, and the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Heading up the East Coast all the way to New York and Aqueduct, the Kentucky Derby trail continues in the Big Apple Saturday with the Grade 3 Withers. Zayat Stables' El Kabeir, most recently an impressive open length winner of the local Jerome, is the marquee name in the $250,000, 1 1/16 mile affair. The gray son of Scat Daddy comes into the Withers on a two-race graded stakes winning streak having scored a front-running victory in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Cup late last year at Churchill Downs.

Among those looking to spoil the El Kabeir procession to the Aqueduct winner’s circle will be Black Rock Thoroughbreds' good looking ridgling, Far From Over. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Blame earned a hard-fought debut victory over this track on December 12.

The Grade 3 Toboggan, for older horses sprinting six furlongs, will be the Big A’s co-feature on Saturday.

Has all this grabbed your attention yet? Saturday, February 7 certainly promises to be quite a day of racing.