West Coast Derby Contenders Get Going in Saturday's San Vicente Stakes

West Coast Derby contenders get going in Saturday's San Vicente Stakes

Santa Anita in California is back after repeated rain woes, hosting an early Kentucky Derby prep race in Saturday's San Vicente Stakes.

Buetane expected to continue Baffert's San Vicente dominance

A winter sprint stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita, the Grade 2 San Vicente looks the same every year – small fields, short prices, Bob Baffert-trained winners. The cycle repeats Saturday when Grade 1-placed Buetane returns as the San Vicente favorite. The race drew five runners, which is average for the San Vicente the past decade. Baffert-trained favorites have won five of the last six; Baffert has won the stakes a record 14 times.

Head to Head: Alternate choices to Buetane in San Vicente

Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday attracted a short but talented field of five.  Bob Baffert, the face of California racing, sends Hopeful (G1) runner-up Buetane and the stylish maiden winner Greenwich Village to butt heads with a pair of last-out maiden winners, a California-bred who beat his restricted optional-claiming company rivals by six lengths, and a Florida-bred who shortens up after placing four…