Having already come out on top of two hard-fought face-offs with Firing Line (Line of David), Kaleem Shah's leading GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Dortmund (Big Brown) faces a fresh set of foes in today's GII San Felipe S. The undefeated'TDN Rising Star' was a debut winner over 6 1/2 panels here Nov. 2, and aired by 7 3/4 lengths in a head-turning performance in a Churchill optional claimer 27 days later. He overcame a no-cover journey to justify 3-5 favoritism in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 20, and snatched back the lead late from Firing Line in the track-and-trip GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 7. The chestnut earned a stellar 104 Beyer Speed Figure for that effort, but is not without competition here.
DP Racing's Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) also earned the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker when he aired in the rained-off Juvenile Turf Sprint S. on Breeders' Cup Saturday here Nov. 1. The James Cassidy pupil got his nose down in the lucrative GIII Delta Downs Jackpot Nov. 22, and though he hasn't been seen since, he's been flattered by the subsequent exploits of that race's troubled third-place finisher Far Right (Notional), winner of both the Smarty Jones S. and GIII Southwest S. Ocho Ocho Ocho sports back-to-back six panel bullets here Feb. 19 and Feb. 26.
As if it weren't enough to have the heavy favorite in his bid for a record fifth San Felipe title, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will also saddle Peachtree Stable's Lord Nelson (Pulpit). A debut winner at Del Mar in July over a field that included sidelined GSW Calculator (In Summation), the chestnut was fourth behind champion stablemate American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Calculator and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GI FrontRunner S. here Sept. 27. He cut back to cruise in the Oct. 13 Speakeasy S., but was fifth from far back in Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 29. The chestnut returned to defeat Texas Red in the Feb. 1 GII San Vicente S. over seven furlongs, but is yet to duplicate his best races over a route of ground.
Pam and Marty Wygod's Prospect Park (Tapit) took four starts before earning his diploma here Dec. 27, but the lightbulb appears to have turned on for the Cliff Sise trainee. Bottled up along the rail for most of a Jan. 30 allowance, the homebred exploded through a seam in upper stretch and blew away his foes in a canter to romp by 5 1/4 lengths.
Bolo (Temple City) certainly has the talent to contend here if he can handle the main track. A late-running fifth behind MGSP Rock Shandy (Lemon Drop Kid) on debut at Del Mar Nov. 7, the Carla Gaines trainee donned cap and gown over recent GIII El Camino Real Derby hero Metaboss (Street Boss) back at that venue Nov. 29. He was a facile winner of the Eddie Logan S. over a mile of local sod Dec. 27, and shows an upbeat tab on the main track in the interim.
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