A field of nine newly minted 3-year-olds look to separate themselves from the pack in Saturday's GIII Sham S. at Santa Anita. Speedway Stable's Collected (City Zip) is one of two representatives for Bob Baffert, who owns a record three wins in this event. A debut graduate by a nose down the hill here Oct. 12, he switches to the main track after pressing a hot pace in Del Mar's Nov. 29 GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. in which he was run down late by Dressed in Hermes (Hat Trick {Jpn}). Baffert's other pupil, Juddmonte colorbearer Let's Meet In Rio (Flatter), was fifth and sixth in a pair of sprint maidens before breaking through at this distance at Los Alamitos Racecourse last time Dec. 5. Getting first-time Lasix here, the dark bay is a grandson of French Group 1 winner Zenda (GB) (Zamindar) and hails from the same family as turf standouts Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert), etc. The aforementioned Dressed in Hermes hasn't stepped on dirt since making a big middle move and settling for fourth behind eventual MGSW Exaggerator (Curlin) sprinting at Del Mar in his July 25 debut. He defeated I'malreadythere (Crown of Thorns) by a half-length in the Zuma Beach S. here Oct. 10, and was a decent fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf S. Oct. 30 before returning home to take the DeMille. I'malreadythere switched to the dirt himself after the Zuma Beach–he was third in the GIII Bob Hope S. over seven panels at Del Mar Nov. 14 and again in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity S. Dec. 19. Doug O'Neill has three chances to see if his dominance over this crop will carry over to the new year–he saddles recent Cal-bred stakes winner Found Money (Square Eddie); Dec. 5 Los Al optional claimer winner Semper Fortis (Distorted Humor); and Los Al Futurity seventh Sorryaboutnothing (Repent).
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