Bodemeister, Empire Way lead strong San Felipe field

The $300,000 San Felipe at Santa Anita on Saturday looks like the best Kentucky Derby prep so far this spring. It drew a strong 10-horse field even with the defections of Out of Bounds and Fed Biz because of injury and illness.

Ironically, a colt that just broke his maiden, Bodemeister, will be a solid choice in the San Felipe. He is trained by Bob Baffert, who has an uncoupled stablemate in the race in Liaison.

Bodemeister ran a 101 Beyer speed figure in his maiden win, the highest lifetime Beyer among all the entrants in the race. In the San Felipe, Bodemeister is replacing Fed Biz, who also is trained by Baffert. Jockey Rafael Bejarano had a choice of the two Baffert colts and opted to ride Bodemeister.

Trainer Mike Harrington also has an uncoupled entry in Creative Cause and Empire Way. Creative Cause will get a lot more attention because jockey Joel Rosario chose to ride this colt over Empire Way.

Creative Cause won the Norfolk at Santa Anita on Oct. 1. After a brief layoff, he ran third in the seven-furlong San Vicente as a tightener for this.

Empire Way has pedigree and potential going for him. He is a full brother to last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, Royal Delta. His bloodlines include two Belmont Stakes winners; he was sired by Empire Maker, and his dam’s sire is A.P. Indy. No 3-year-old has a better pedigree to win at the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby distance than Empire Way. Brice Blanc will replace Rosario.

Champion rider Garrett Gomez returns at Santa Anita today. Gomez has been sidelined for two months since injuring a heel in a freak paddock accident. He is looking for a Derby mount since losing Out of Bounds, who is sidelined with a condylar fracture. Gomez will ride long shot Tiz Point in the San Felipe for Richard Mandella.

■ TAMPA BAY DERBY — This is always an interesting race on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The favorite, Spring Hill Farm (5-2), makes his stakes debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. Take Charge Indy (3-1) was flattered when he ran second to El Padrino, who next out won the Risen Star at the Fair Grounds.

My choice is Prospective (8-1), who is adding blinkers on and should save all the ground from a rail post. He ran a strong second last time in the Sam F. Davis while racing wide on both turns.

■ SWALE — The Swale at Gulfstream Park on Saturday drew 10 horses going seven furlongs. Only two horses — Ever So Lucky and Motor City — are true Kentucky Derby contenders. Both figure to use the Swale and one other prep race before a start in the Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.