Santa Anita Derby field set for Saturday

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - A small field of six three-year-olds has been entered in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. The race will be contested over 1 1/8 miles.

Brother Derek, the leading west coast Kentucky Derby contender, is expected to be the favorite for the race. He will start from post 2 and have Alex Solis in the saddle. Solis is the only jockey to ever ride the colt.

Brother Derek is working on a three stakes race winning streak, having captured the Hollywood Futurity, San Rafael and Santa Catalina Stakes. He has won five of seven career starts for $712,080. The bay colt is owned by Cecil Peacock and trained by Dan Hendricks. He was fourth behind Stevie Wonderboy in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

San Felipe Stakes winner A.P. Warrior will break from the inside post, next to Brother Derek. He will be ridden by Corey Nakatani.

A.P. Warrior is trained by John Shirreffs for owner Stan Fulton. Shirreffs trained 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo. A.P. Warrior will be facing Brother Derek for the third time. Last year Brother Derek edged A.P. Warrior by less than a length in the Norfolk Stakes. In December A.P. Warrior was fourth in the Hollywood Futurity.

The colt has earned $287,185 with three wins in seven starts.

Point Determined, runner-up in the San Felipe Stakes, will start from the far outside post and Rafael Bejarano will be in the saddle.

The bay colt has five career starts with two wins and $110,330. The San Felipe was his first stakes effort and lost by only a half-length.

Point Determined is owned by Beverly Lewis and trained by Bob Baffert. Last Saturday Baffert won the WinStar Derby with Wanna Runner.

Breaking from post 5 will be Sacred Light, the second place finisher to Brother Derek in the Santa Catalina Stakes. Sacred Light will be ridden by Aaron Gryder.

Earlier this year Sacred Light was third in the Sham Stakes behind Bob and John. Owned by Amerman Racing, Sacred Light has career earnings of $92,540 with one win in five starts. David Hofmans trains.

Rounding out the field are Wildfang and Indy Wildcat.

Sunday Silence was the last three-year-old to pull off the Santa Anita- Kentucky Derbies double. He won both races in 1989. The filly Winning Colors did the same thing the year before.