San Vicente Stakes draws six 3-year-olds

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - An evenly matched field of six 3-year-olds will go postward Sunday in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will go for a fourth straight victory in the seven-furlong stakes with Roger Rocket, The colt will begin his second career start from post 4 with Corey Nakatani riding.

Owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, Roger Rocket won his career debut at Santa Anita four weeks ago when he posted a head victory in a 5 1/2- furlong maiden race.

Baffert won last year's San Vicente with Shakin It Up after claiming the previous two editions with The Factor and Drill.

Coming down from Golden Gate Fields will be undefeated 3-year-old Grazen's Hope. The gray colt, trained by Steve Miyadi, will be ridden by Martin Garcia from the inside post.

Owned by Nick Alexander, Grazen's Hope won his first time out in December and followed last month with a win in an optional claiming race. The colt has earned $43,680.

Cherubim showed an affinity for dirt when he won at Santa Anita two months ago. Trained by Simon Callaghan for Jerry Frankel, the colt will start from post 5 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the saddle.

Cherubim broke his maiden on Dec. 28 by 3 1/4 lengths one month after finishing eighth in his debut effort at Hollywood Park.

"He was on the inside and it was his first time out," Callaghan said about the colt's eighth-place result. "I'm not really sure why he didn't run well on the synthetic, but we always felt he was a really good horse and he really showed it last time."

Here is the complete field for the San Vicente in post position order: Grazen's Hope, Martin Garcia; Rprettyboyfloyd, Brice Blanc; Papa Turf, Joe Talamo; Roger Rocket, Corey Nakatani; Cherubim, Mike Smith and Kobe's Back, Joel Rosario.

The San Vicente has an approximate post-time of 5:30 p.m. ET.