Storm the Court won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which brought him the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male, eight days before Authentic ever raced. Honor A. P. crushed maidens authoritatively on Oct. 13, 13 days before Thousand Words made his debut. Much has changed in the intervening months. While Authentic and Thousand Words have subsequently combined to win three graded stakes to rank as the top Kentucky Derby prospects based in California with proven form around two turns, Storm the Court has one nondescript effort to his credit, while Honor A. P. has been sidelined. With the Derby now just eight weeks away, where these 3-year-old colts stand, and where they may be headed between now and May 2, could be gleaned Saturday at Santa Anita when all four – all members of the Derby Watch top 20 – compete in the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more The San Felipe, at 1 1/16 miles, is the local major prep for next month’s Santa Anita Derby. It offers 85 points overall, with 50 to the winner, on the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the Derby field. It is one of three such races around the country Saturday – including the Gotham at Aqueduct and the Tampa Bay Derby – but is the strongest based on quality at the top with the four Derby Watch members. Three others, all longshots, are entered, making a field of seven. Storm the Court and Honor A. P. have the most to prove Saturday. Storm the Court was a 45-1 upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a race whose form (see Anneau d’Or, Wrecking Crew, Scabbard, and Dennis’ Moment) has not held up. Storm the Court’s lone start this year came in the San Vicente going seven furlongs, a distance short of ideal for a colt with his grinding style, and while he finished fourth behind the high-class Nadal, the San Felipe will offer insight as to whether he’s still one of the divisional leaders, or if he has been passed. He has a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 87, and the only jockey to ride him in races, Flavien Prat, has opted for Thousand Words. Joel Rosario takes over. Storm the Court’s trainer, Pete Eurton, initially had planned on just two races this spring prior to the Derby. But after the San Vicente, Eurton adjusted – as good trainers do – and determined Storm the Court needed more. Thus, the San Felipe. “I wasn’t all that disappointed with the San Vicente. I didn’t have him close to cranked up,” Eurton said. “He came out of the race with so much energy. His last work was so much sharper than his work going into the San Vicente. “I wanted to limit his shipping, so I thought running here and then either the Santa Anita Derby or the Blue Grass made more sense than going to the Rebel, shipping back and forth for that, and then shipping again. This way he has four weeks until his next race and then four weeks until the Derby.” Honor A. P. beat maidens in his second start like a future star, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. He was intended for the Sham Stakes – which was won by Authentic on Jan. 4 – but a bruised foot caused him to miss the race. He goes into the San Felipe a week shy of five months since his last start. :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter “That’s the biggest thing. Missing racing experience,” said his trainer, John Shirreffs, who has sent Honor A. P. out for a strong series of workouts, including two at seven furlongs, in preparation for this race. “I’d like to see him run a good race, a race I feel we can build on. He’s such a nice colt. He gets over the ground so well. He’s just a little bit behind, not having had that extra race.” Authentic and Thousand Words should take the bulk of the wagering. Authentic has raced twice, most recently in the Sham, which he won by nearly eight lengths. He raced erratically through the stretch, so trainer Bob Baffert will equip him with ear plugs Saturday. He is the one to catch. Thousand Words, also trained by Baffert, comes off hard-fought victories in the Los Alamitos Futurity and Robert B. Lewis. He’ll stalk his stablemate. Outsiders Fort McHenry, Swagsational, and Wrecking Crew complete the field. The San Felipe is race 8 on a 12-race card that begins at 11:30 a.m. Pacific and includes a pair of Grade 1 events – the historic Santa Anita Handicap for older horses, and the Kilroe Mile on turf. Gift Box defends his title in the Big Cap, facing Shirreffs-trained Midcourt and Eastern invaders Endorsed and Hofburg. The mare Got Stormy, second over this course in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall, again takes on males in the Kilroe Mile, meeting the likes of tiny but mighty local stalwart River Boyne. There are two other stakes – the Grade 2 San Carlos for sprinters, including Flagstaff, Roadster, and the comebacking Law Abidin Citizen, and the China Doll for 3-year-old turf females, including Warren’s Showtime.