Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s Ax Man (Misremembered), a half-brother to champion female sprinter Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie), will look to get on the Derby trail while making just his second career start in the GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita Saturday. The Bob Baffert trainee will break from the rail in the six-horse field. He aired by 9 1/2 lengths in his six-furlong debut on New Year’s Day at Santa Anita and, finishing third that day, was Lombo (Graydar), who returned to win last weekend’s GIII Bob Lewis S.
Kaleem Shah’s homebred All Out Blitz (Concord Point) set the pace before finishing second behind McKinzie (Street Sense) in his two-turn debut in the Jan. 6 GIII Sham S. in his most recent trip to the post. The bay colt was a maiden winner going six furlongs in his third career start at Los Alamitos Dec. 17. He will break from post four.
“He’s doing well, he’s competitive and it’s a small field,” said trainer Simon Callaghan. “I like the post position for sure, being on the outside [of Ax Man]. Obviously, Ax Man was very impressive first time. But I think it will be a good race. All Out Blitz is training very good.”
Baffert will also saddle Nero (Pioneerof the Nile), who breaks from post three. The Coolmore/Stonestreet runner was a $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling. He missed by just a nose when second in his 5 1/2-furlong debut at Del Mar Aug. 27 and came back to graduate by that same margin at the same distance at Santa Anita Jan. 13. The bay colt is a half-brother to Stonestreet’s 2015 GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner Ocean Knight (Curlin).