Owners Hope Race is Launch Point

The owners and trainers who will be represented in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes today at Santa Anita would love to see their 3-year-old duplicate what Free House did last year.

Or, better still, what Sunday Silence accomplished in 1989.

Twelve months ago, Free House defeated Silver Charm in the San Felipe, then came back three weeks later and beat the eventual Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner again in the Santa Anita Derby.

Nine years ago, the San Felipe was the second victory for Sunday Silence in a five-race winning streak that also included the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

A Grade II at 1 1/16 miles, the San Felipe has attracted Artax, arguably California’s top 3-year-old, two unbeatens in Sea Of Secrets and Prosperous Bid, and Real Quiet, who beat Artax in the Hollywood Futurity last December. Longshots Yarrow Brae and Nationalore round out the field.

Beaten as the heavy favorite in an allowance race in his 1998 debut, Artax bounced back with an impressive win in the Santa Catalina and has continued to train well for Randy Bradshaw. Chris McCarron, who returned to riding Friday after attending the funeral of his father in Massachusetts, will again be aboard and they will break from the inside post.

“Probably the best horse I’ve had since I’ve been on my own was Urbane [a stakes-winning filly],” said Bradshaw, who worked for many years as an assistant to Wayne Lukas. “I think someday [Artax] is going to be at least that good, if not better, and maybe in the near future because he has improved in leaps and bounds.”

Prosperous Bid, a half-brother to Best Pal, will be making his stakes debut in the San Felipe after winning his first two races. He broke his maiden sprinting, then stretched out to a mile and won again.

Sea Of Secrets hasn’t lost in three starts, but today will be his first race around two turns. He won the San Vicente in his stakes debut Feb. 7.

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A 3-year-old who isn’t in the San Felipe, but who could show up in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 4, remained unbeaten with a comfortable victory Friday.

Indian Charlie, a son of In Excess trained by Bob Baffert for owner Hal Earnhardt, tried two turns for the first time in his third start and responded with a 2 1/2-length victory over Quake in 1:35 for the mile. It was the fastest mile run by a 3-year-old at Santa Anita since Mud Route ran the same time Jan. 18, 1997.

Santa Anita Notes

There is a Pick Six carry-over for today of $96,524.41. . . . Bob Baffert leads the trainer standings with 34 victories, 14 more than Neil Drysdale. . . . Gary Stevens tops the rider standings with 57, two more than Kent Desormeaux.