An allowance race at Santa Anita on Friday has Derby implications as six runners try to step their way into future stakes competition. The one-mile race features the comebacking, grade 1-placed Roadster, highly regarded Nolo Contesto, and Dessman, who drops out of a narrow loss in grade 2 company.
#1 Nolo Contesto (9-5) is trained by John Sadler and will have Joel Rosario in the irons. He was fifth in his December debut sprinting, but came back to break his maiden over this trip on January 4. The horse he beat that day, Omaha Beach, came back to win by nine lengths next out. Nolo Contesto has had two straight bullet workouts; the son of Pioneerof the Nile looks to be a serious contender.
#2 Manhattan Up (12-1) is a son of Street Boss who won by five lengths in a maiden sprint at Del Mar in November. He came back to try the turf in the Eddie Logan Stakes but was pulled up in that event, then came back over a mile on a sloppy track January 31 and ran fourth against some highly regarded rivals.
#3 Diamond Blitz (15-1) is Keith Desormeaux’s entrant in here. The son of Munnings took four tries to break his maiden and did on the grass at the $50,000 level. He cut back to a sprint in his last start, and switches back to dirt and two turns for this.
#4 Roadster (7-5) was very hyped last summer before his debut, which he won July 29 by 4 ¼ lengths. He was heavily favored in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) but finished third behind stablemate and eventual divisional champion Game Winner. Roadster has since had surgery, and the son of Quality Road sports a bullet six furlong workout from February 16. Mike Smith will be aboard the likely favorite.
#5 Grab the Munny (20-1) is another Munnins and another John Salder trainee. He has won twice in seven starts, but neither were here; he broke his maiden second out at Los Alamitos, and then took a sprint at Golden Gate on the synthetic.
#6 Dessman is a striking son of Union Rags for Baffert who will have Victor Espinoza in the irons. A $750,000 purchase, he broke his maiden first out by 7 ½ lengths over six furlongs, then missed by a nose in the San Vicente Stakes (G2) February 10. He stretches out for the first time today and takes blinkers off.
The top finishers of this race will likely contest a late March/early April Kentucky Derby prep, so keep an eye on how it plays out.
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