Lewis Runner-Up Intrepido Possible for San Felipe

[Wandering Eyes]

Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures's Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), a game second in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita, could make his next start in the Mar. 7 GII San Felipe Stakes or could wait for the Apr. 4 GI Santa Anita Derby if he looks to have earned enough points to make the field for the GI Kentucky Derby without the extra start.

“If we could have won [the Robert Lewis], then we could have coasted and wait for the Santa Anita Derby,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “The question is, are you going to dance every dance before you really get down to business [in the Triple Crown]? You don't want to chase, chase chase, those points. Then you get to the Derby and you're done.”

Intrepido earned 10 Derby points with his win in last year's GI American Pharoah Stakes and three points for his fifth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He added an additional 10 points with his runner-up effort Saturday.

Ridden by Hector Berrios, Intrepido dueled Plutarch (Into Mischief) for most of the one-mile Robert Lewis and came up just 3/4 lengths short of that rival after a stirring stretch duel.

“Hector said if he was on the outside, he probably could have gone by him,” Mullins said.

Trainer Bob Baffert reported both Plutarch and Splendora (Audible), winner of Saturday's GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes, were “doing great” Sunday morning.

Also possible for the San Felipe is Harris Farms' homebred Start the Ride (Upstart), who broke his maiden second-time out in the Jan. 17 California Cup Derby.

“We're looking at the San Felipe,” trainer Dan Blacker said of Start the Ride. “He's still eligible for a non-winners of one, but we could try something a little more ambitious.”

So Happy (Runhappy) tuned up for a possible start in the San Felipe with a four-furlong work in :47.80 (2/55) at Santa Anita Sunday. The Mark Glatt-trained colt, two-for-two in his career so far, was most recently a two-length winner of the Jan. 10 GII San Vicente Stakes.

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