DERBY HOPEFUL CARACORTADO HEADS SAN FELIPE

NTRA release

Seven 3-year-olds were entered in the San Felipe with Caracortado high weighted at 119 pounds. Caracortado is fast becoming the blue-collar favorite among the bluebloods in the Triple Crown picture. Not only is he a California-bred gelding by little known sire Cat Dreams, but Caracortado is trained and co-owned by breeder Mike Machowsky, and he is ridden by Paul Atkinson, who had all but fallen off racing’s radar screen at the age of 40.

After Caracortado won the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes by a definitive 1¾ lengths as the race’s fourth choice while covering 1 1/16 miles in a sprightly 1:41.75, Machowsky remarked, “I read what everybody writes about him, that he is kind of off-bred, not a blueblood, but he’s honest. You can’t knock that. I think using a low-profile rider probably has kept him flying under the radar, but if he’s under the radar now, he shouldn’t be.” Each of Caracortado’s five wins has been accomplished with authority. The winning margin in each has been either 1 ½ or 1 ¾ lengths. 

The Lewis provided Atkinson with his biggest career victory. And should Caracortado indeed reach the Kentucky Derby, Atkinson will indeed be there. Both Machowsky and his partner, Don Blahut, are pledged to that. “I’m a firm believer that loyalty means something, and Paul has ridden him flawlessly every time,” said Machowsky. “It’s everybody’s dream to get to the Derby, and Paul deserves as much chance as a guy like Garrett Gomez or Mike Smith.”

An earner of $199,200, Caracortado’s victims in the Lewis included a pair of 3-year-olds, Tiz Chrome and American Lion, who were early consensus choices among the nation’s top 10 Kentucky Derby prospects. American Lion will seek vengeance in the 73rd running of the San Felipe after fading to third, one-half length behind Dave in Dixie, in the Lewis.

Trained by Eoin Harty, American Lion has won 2 of 4 starts including Hollywood Park’s Grade III Hollywood Prevue for earnings of $113,600. He will be equipped with blinkers for the first time on Saturday.

Dave in Dixie, a son of Dixie Union owned by Ike and Dawn Thrash, is a stretch-running sort who turned in his best effort in three starts in the Lewis. Joel Rosario will be back aboard for trainer John Sadler as Dave in Dixie seeks his first stakes victory.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, deep in talented 3-year-olds again this season, will be represented by Interactif, a winner of a pair of Grade III stakes in the East and who ran a close third to Pounced in the Grade II Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meet last November.

Wertheimer & Frere’s Interactif, who has posted a 3-1-1 record in six starts for earnings of $288,250, brings the biggest bankroll into the San Felipe. Rafael Bejarano will take over in the saddle from Florida-based Kent Desormeaux as Interactif tries a synthetic surface for the first time following four races on grass.

The contention for Caracortado is rounded out by Sidney’s Candy, the Craig Family Trust’s highly promising son of Candy Ride who will be racing around two turns for the first time with regular rider Joe Talamo in the irons.

Trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy regained his luster with a 4 ½-length triumph in Santa Anita’s Grade II San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 10 after a troubled but dull fourth-place effort as the 3-5 favorite in an allowance event on Dec. 30. His uneven four-race career began with a second-place debut before a sizzling four-length maiden win at Del Mar last summer that cast Sidney’s Candy as the local “buzz horse” among Derby prospects.

The complete field for the San Felipe Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Stephen’s Got Hope, Tyler Baze, 115; Interactif, Rafael Bejarano, 117; Erbeia, Solis, 115; American Lion, Julien Leparoux, 117; Sidney’s Candy, Talamo, 117; Dave in Dixie, Rosario, 115, and Caracortado, Paul Atkinson, 119.