Photo:

Max Sharp / Eclipse Sportswire

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds a record nine times and is a four-time winner of the historic Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for older horses. On Saturday, the Hall of Famer will have multiple chances to add to both totals on Big ‘Cap Day at Santa Anita.  

In the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, Baffert will saddle the trio of morning-line favorite Barnes, second-choice Rodriguez and the maiden Mellencamp, who drew the rail. In the 1 1/4-mile Big ‘Cap, Baffert has Mirahmadi (6-1) and New King (8-1).

“He’s done everything right,” Baffert said Thursday morning.  

Barnes will face a new challenge Saturday. The San Felipe will be his first time racing around two turns, a critical test for any horse with Kentucky Derby aspirations.  

“It’s always a question mark,” Baffert said of the added distance. “I think he can do it, but you don’t really know until they do. We’ll find out a lot about him this weekend.”

Barnes is owned by Zedan Racing, who purchased the Into Mischief colt for $3.2 million as a yearling. He will break from post 3 under jockey Juan Hernandez. Directly outside of Barnes is Rodriguez, who will have Flavien Prat aboard. To his inside is Journalism, another highly regarded prospect who makes his 3-year-old debut for trainer Michael McCarthy.  

“Pace makes the race. We’ll see how fast they go,” Baffert said. “The break will be so key. Rodriguez is very fast also.”

Rodriguez, by Authentic, went gate-to-wire to graduate when stretched out to a mile in his second start on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita. He returned in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) going a mile on Feb. 1 and finished second to stablemate Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old male champion.  

Baffert said he initially planned to run Rodriguez last weekend at Oaklawn in the Rebel (G2) but decided against largely because of weather concerns.

“There was a cold spell out there and I just decided to keep him home. He’s improving, Baffert said.

Mellencamp has yet to win in four starts. Most recently, the Constitution colt finished second behind the promising Baeza, who is expected to return in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5.  

“He ran a good race against Baeza. That’s a nice horse,” Baffert said. “He needs to run and we’re giving him a chance.”

Mellencamp, like Rodriguez, is owned by an extensive partnership group led by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables.

The San Felipe goes as the eighth race on an 11-race card. Post time is approximately 6:30 p.m. EST.

In the Big ‘Cap, the top two choices on the morning line are eastern invaders Locked (3-2) and Hit Show (5-2). Mirahmadi, who will have Hernandez aboard, enters after a dominant front-running allowance win going a mile Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.  

“He’s a good horse, but he’s one-dimensional and unfortunately there are a few more horses in there that are one-dimensional,” Baffert said. “I suppose that could help my horse New King, but those horses coming in from out of state look pretty tough.”

New King is a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt. He most recently won a 1 1/16-mile allowance on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita.