Potente gets up to edge Robusta in San Felipe

Speedway Stables’ Potente joined the Kentucky Derby picture and remained unbeaten in Saturday’s $201,000 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita, catching Robusta in the final strides to post a head win. Now 2-for-2, the Bob Baffert-trained colt was ridden by Juan Hernandez.

“This horse has a lot of talent,” Hernandez said. “He's big, he's strong, and he showed up today.”

The Road to the Kentucky Derby series qualifier offered points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis to the top five finishers, and Potente was overlooked as the 8-1 fourth choice among seven runners.

His stablemate, Grade 1 juvenile winner and odds-on favorite Brant, sped forward at the break to show the way through opening fractions in :22.88, :46.62, and 1:10.42 while being pressured by So Happy. Potente stalked a couple of lengths behind the early leader.

So Happy took over the lead as Brant gave way on the far turn but the advantage was short-lived, as Robusta came with a wide bid to seize a clear advantage entering the stretch. Potente launched an outside move after straightening for home, closing fast to prevail late and complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.92.

“I knew the pace was going to be hot,” Baffert said. “I think Brant was a work away from this race. He got tired. Potente is bred to go that far. He was ready for that.”

Robusta, overlooked at 67-1 following a well-beaten sixth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) in early February, turned things around nicely for Doug O’Neill in the runner-up effort. He wound up 2 1/4 lengths better than So Happy in third, and Secured Freedom completed the superfecta. Brant weakened to fifth and was followed by Start the Ride and Flashy Fritz.

Bred in Kentucky by Pam & Martin Wygod, Potente was purchased for $2.4 million as a yearling at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August sale. The Into Mischief colt is the first stakes winner from the stakes-placed mare Sweet Swing, a daughter of Awesome Again, and Potente counts 2000 champion turf mare Perfect Sting as his second maternal dam.