The $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (Grade 2) at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Park features Grade 3 winner Bullard against Florida-bred Smooth Cruisein.
Smooth Cruisein, by former Florida stallion Girvin, makes his stakes debut. Bred by J D Farms, the $41,000 OBS October purchase won his only start at Santa Anita on Oct 27, stalking the pace before prevailing in a maiden special weight. The form of that race was flattered when third-place finisher Journalism went on to capture the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.
Bullard brings a perfect record from two starts. The $675,000 Keeneland September yearling won his debut at Del Mar before taking the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes by over four lengths.
Barnes, an Into Mischief colt who commanded $3.2 million at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, won his Churchill Downs debut in late November. His stablemate Romanesque also won at first asking, taking a Del Mar maiden race in November.
McKinzie Street brings graded stakes experience, having placed in both the Grade 1 American Pharoah and Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes.
Field from the rail: McKinzie Street (Fresu, 10-1), Barnes (Hernandez, 8-5), Romanesque (Smith, 5-1), Smooth Cruisein (Gonzalez, 12-1), and Bullard (Rispoli, 4-5).
Post time for race five is 5:30 p.m. ET.
