ARCADIA, Calif. – Even though Santa Anita eliminated the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at one mile from its 3-year-old program, the series will begin Saturday in familiar fashion, with a formidable favorite in a small field. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Muth is favored in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, a seven-furlong race moved from its traditional spot in late January/early February. The elimination of the Sham, and earlier scheduling of the San Vicente, was due to financial considerations. “It’s almost like we had one too many races for the population of horses,” racing secretary Jason Egan explained. “Field size in the Sham has always been short, and the San Vicente is generally short.” The Sham in early January previously was the first local dirt stakes for 3-year-olds. Average field size was 5.8 since dirt racing resumed following the synthetic era in the 2010-11 meet, and favorites have won 8 of the last 13. During that time, average field for the San Vicente was 5.3. In eliminating the Sham, Santa Anita was left with a January void in the 3-year-old stakes program. “We made the decision to scrap the Sham and basically replace it with the San Vicente, trying to make the series flow a little better,” Egan said. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Three graded dirt routes for 3-year-olds follow the San Vicente, race 8 Saturday. The Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 3 was shortened from 1 1/16 miles to a mile. The Grade 2 San Felipe on March 2 is a mile and sixteenth; the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 6 goes at 1 1/8 miles. Despite fewer stakes options, only six entered the San Vicente. Bob Baffert entered Grade 1 winner Muth and debut winner Pilot Commander seeking his 13th San Vicente win. Others include turf stakes winner Slider, whose fastest races are on dirt, and Boltage, a turf horse with fast dirt works. Debut winner Moonlit Sonata and turf-to-dirt Formidable Man also are entered. Muth is the class of the field and fastest on figures. Grade 1 winner Muth is the only dirt stakes winner in the field, with Beyers of 90 or higher in all four of his starts. None of his rivals have reached 90. Purchased by Zedan Racing for $2 million as a 2-year-old, Muth won his debut by more than eight lengths in June at Santa Anita, followed by a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Best Pal at Del Mar. He stretched to 1 1/16 miles to win the American Pharoah at Santa Anita, followed by a runner-up finish in the BC Juvenile. Early indications are the BC Juvenile is a live race. Three from the race have run back, all improved. Seventh-place Cuban Thunder finished second in a fast allowance at Gulfstream Park; eighth-place Wine Me Up finished fourth in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity; ninth-place Noted won the ungraded Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream. Juan Hernandez rides Muth; Flavien Prat rides stablemate Pilot Commander. Muth figures for a pressing trip outside front-runner Slider. A John Sadler-trained turf stakes winner with speed, Slider returns to dirt after finishing ninth in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. He previously won the Speakeasy Stakes on turf at Santa Anita. Sadler believes a return to dirt benefits Slider. “I think he’s probably better on dirt, his numbers are faster on dirt,” Sadler said. Slider won a maiden dirt sprint at Del Mar in September. Sadler moved him to grass because the only BC sprint option for a 2-year-old was the Juvenile Turf Sprint. “We wanted to be in the Breeders’ Cup,” Sadler said. Slider finished ninth; Europeans dominated the BC turf races. A return to dirt was always planned for Slider, whose 85 and 86 dirt Beyers could make him second choice in the San Vicente. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Slider might set the pace under Joel Rosario. Sadler has won the San Vicente four times, most recently with Kobe’s Back in 2014. Boltage also moves from turf. “We’re going to try the dirt, and see what he can do,” trainer Richard Mandella said, insinuating the change is experimental. Mandella always thought Boltage preferred turf. A maiden turf winner in summer, he finished third in the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf, and was unplaced in his most recent start, a Grade 3 turf route in October. Boltage has worked fast on dirt, and drew the outside post under Mike Smith. Boltage will try replicate another promising 3-year-old Mandella moved from turf to dirt. Five years ago, Mandella switched surfaces with Omaha Beach, who subsequently won three Grade 1s on dirt. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.