The Southern California pathway to the 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve continues Saturday with the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, held at a mile on the main track at Santa Anita Park.

There were a pair of Kentucky Derby points races in California last fall-winter – the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA in November at Santa Anita and the Los Alamitos Futurity in December – but the Robert B. Lewis, the March 2 San Felipe Stakes, and the April 6 Santa Anita Derby are the three key qualifying races this season for Kentucky Derby hopefuls in SoCal.

The Robert B. Lewis Stakes is one of four graded stakes races on a strong Feb. 3 card at Santa Anita, along with the $100,000 Megahertz Stakes at 3:45 p.m. ET, the $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes at 6:45 p.m. ET, and the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at 7:15 p.m. ET.

The Megahertz Stakes and the Robert B. Lewis at 5:15 p.m. ET are part of the 1/ST Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 that also features three graded stakes from Gulfstream Park and is anchored by the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes at 5:45 p.m. at Gulfstream, which also is a Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won this race, formerly known as the Santa Catalina Stakes, a record 11 times, including the last five in a row, and has a trio of 3-year-olds entered. Baffert’s runners are not eligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points because he currently is banned from racing at Churchill Downs due to Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby disqualification in 2021 for a medication violation.

Let’s take a look at the field for the Robert B. Lewis.

1. Wine Me Up (6-1 morning-line odds): Flashed big-time potential when runner-up in the American Pharoah Stakes in his second start, but he subsequently finished second-to-last in both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Los Alamitos Futurity and would need a reversal in form to compete here.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

2. Ace of Clubs (20-1): Unplaced in three previous starts against stakes competition and this is the toughest, deepest group he has faced to date. Looks overmatched on paper.

JOCKEY: Edwin Maldonado; TRAINER: Doug O’Neill

3. Better Than Gold (6-1): Took a big step forward when stretching out from a sprint in his debut to a mile in his second race, closing with a rush to prevail by a neck Dec. 2 at Del Mar. Potential for a fast early pace enhances chances of this deep closer in his stakes debut.

JOCKEY: Mike Smith; TRAINER: Gary Mandella

4. Moonlit Sonata (20-1): Impressive debut winner in November at Del Mar regressed a bit in his stakes debut Jan. 6 in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven-eighths of a mile on this main track. Probably better than he showed in San Vicente but this group is not any softer. Tough assignment.

JOCKEY: Geovanni Franco; TRAINER: Tim Yakteen

5. Coach Prime (5-1): Sensational win in November at Del Mar fired up the hype train for this colt named after hype maestro Deion Sanders, but the sizzle subsided after a third-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the Los Alamitos Futurity. Expecting a strong effort but stablemate Nysos looks a cut above from the Bob Baffert barn.

JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

Nysos (BENOIT photo)

6. Nysos (4-5): Two wins by a combined margin of 19 ¼ lengths including an 8 ¾-length runaway in the Bob Hope Stakes last November at Del Mar. First try around two turns and 2 ½-month layoff are legit concerns, but Nyquist colt looks much the best on paper. Should be a formidable favorite to improve to 3-for-3 and give Baffert his 12^th win in the Robert B. Lewis.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

7. Stronghold (6-1): Came up a half-length short to Baffert-trained Wynstock in Los Alamitos Futurity while posting career-best Equibase and Beyer Speed Figures and stretching out around two turns for the first time. He’s improved since finishing second by 8 ¾ length to Nysos in the Bob Hope Stakes. Never worse than second in four starts and has valuable two-turn experience.

JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

8. Mc Vay (20-1): Winless in two starts but enters off a runner-up finish to flashy recent maiden winner Maymun. Potentially a promising prospect but this is a challenging spot for a 3-year-old in search of his first victory.

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: John Shirreffs

9. Scatify (6-1): Showed both talent and toughness in a determined half-length debut win Dec. 16 at Los Alamitos. Stretches out an extra quarter-mile in the Robert B. Lewis while stepping up in class for a potent jockey-trainer tandem clicking at 24% since the start of 2023.

JOCKEY: Hector Berrios; TRAINER: John Sadler

THE PICK: Nysos

LIVE LONGSHOT: Better Than Gold

SUPERFECTA: 6-3-9-7