Baffert Duo of Messier, Wharton Lead Five-Horse Lewis

A day after some of the East Coast’s best 3-year-olds took center stage for the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) show on Feb. Gulfstream ParkWest Coast sophomores have their stake as of February 6 in Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) $200,000 at Santa Anita . Park.

The race was an official Kentucky Derby prepared by Woodford Reserve (G1), providing scores on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the top four finishers, although the horses were trained by Bob Baffert ineligible for points issued by Churchill Downs Inc . suspended the Hall of Famer coach from its activities until mid-2023 for drug violations.

Baffert had two out of five participants in the 1 1/16 mile Lewis race—Messier and Wharton —And both will be well supported in placing bets. Also entered as Sir London , trained by Simon Callaghan; the winner of the bet on the pitch Cabo Spirit , trained by George Papaprodromou; and Jack is happy Edited by Doug O’Neill.

Messier is likely to start as the favorite despite a surprising failure to come second with 1-2 odds in Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. Racetrack Los Alamitos. In a good position, he took the lead early on, but couldn’t keep up with the O’Neill-trained player. Slow down Andy in the alley. Messier finished some time behind that opponent.

Videotapes: Los Alamitos Futurity (G2)

Before that race, his first path, the son of Empire Maker won Bob Hope Stakes (G3) on November 14 at Del Mar when he sprinted seven and entered the six-piece junior race at Santa Anita on October 22. He finished second in the five-child race on June 27 in Los Alamitos on his debut.

He and Wharton both race for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm. They are not linked to each other.

Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, who teamed up with Baffert and many of those owners to win last month’s Sham Stakes (G3) and Southwest Stakes (G3), won the mount on Messier. . Messier will race without blinking after adding them to Los Alamitos Futurity.

Juan Hernandez picks up mounts on Wharton, a Candy Ride The dark horse scored on his debut at the 6 1/2 feather race at Santa Anita on December 31.

Wharton out Consists of mare Her smile , who won the 2011 Prioress Stakes (G1) in six springs. Her smile created a graded bet winner Pink sand (Tapit ), who had the best lap mostly around one turn but also won an unclassified bet race at 1 1/16 miles.

Baffert has won against Lewis nine times, including the last three years, most recently Medina Spirit . O’Neill is a two-time Lewis Prize winner.

Flavien Prat, who has ridden Messier in his last three races, is on board the Sir London, one Moon Malibu The foal won the first race a mile on December 4 at Los Alamitos with 10 races in the third start. AMO Racing USA and Qatar Racing the dark horse owned by Qatar Racing previously finished second in a pair of first sprints.

Kretz Racing’s Cabo Spirit (Pioneer of the Nile ) and Happy Jack of Calumet Ranch (Oxbow ) also entered the race Sunday after winning, before that in the January 2 Eddie Logan Stakes match on grass and a second in the first race on January 22 on dirt at Santa Anita in the match. his debut on six feathers.

2 to 3 finishers from Eddie Logan, Magnetic levitation train and Handy Dandy have won their next starts, the first in Baffle Bets on January 30.