Trainer Bob Baffert tightens hold on top ranks of Kentucky Derby standings

Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Trainer Bob Baffert reinforced his squad of Kentucky Derby hopefuls during a busy week of prep racing from New York to Florida and from Arkansas to California -- with a detour to Dubai.

Baffert colts finished 1-2 in Saturday's San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita and looked ready to compete on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby," where he already holds down three of the top four spots on the leaderboard.

Some new competition, however, surfaced at Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park.

There also was plenty of weekend action among the 3-year-old fillies. And, on the global front, two South African races awarded "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup spots, and the Dubai Carnival was treated to an impressive showing by the local sprint champ.

Remember the name Vekoma as we move along here.

The Road to the Roses

As Baffert posed for the trophy presentation after the $200,000 Grade II San Vicente, he pointed to the man on his right, assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. That's because the winner, Barnes, is named after Baffert's virtual alter ego and now looks like a top prospect for the Kentucky Derby.

Barnes was a no-doubt winner in the San Vicente, opening up at the top of the stretch when jockey Juan Hernandez turned him loose. He won by 5 1/2 lengths as Baffert's other entry in the five-horse field, Romanesque, got the better of previously undefeated Bob Hope Stakes winner Bullard for second.

Barnes, an Into Mischief colt out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream, now is 2-for-2 with the first win coming under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.

At Gulfstream Park, Guns Loaded kicked off the Florida Derby series with a front-running victory in the $165,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes, but was all out to preserve the win at the end of the 1 mile by a neck over Treaty of Rome.

Cyclone State kicked loose from the field turning for home in Saturday's $150,000 Jerome at Aqueduct and was all alone through the stretch, winning by 3 1/2 lengths. Omaha Omaha came from way, way back, but only could manage second.

Cyclone State, an Iowa-bred colt by McKinzie, could be headed overseas, as trainer Chad Summers said he expects an invitation to the Group 3 Saudi Derby on Feb. 22.

It was chilly in Hot Springs, Ark., Saturday for the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, kickoff leg of the Arkansas Derby series, but Coal Battle warmed things up nicely with an uncharacteristic, front-running, 4-length victory.

The Coal Front colt was stepping up from victories in the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs and the Remington Springboard Mile in Oklahoma.

Also in weekend action: Coming in Hot won Sunday's $125,000 6 1/2-furlongs Turfway Preview on the all-weather course; Mi Bago captured Wednesday's $165,000 Dania Beach Stakes on the Gulfstream Park turf; and in Dubai, Golden Vekoma strolled home first by 2 1/4 lengths in Friday's UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial.

When the smoke cleared, Coal Battle stood in the No. 2 spot on the Churchill Downs "Road to the Kentucky Derby" leaderboard, sandwiched between No. 1 Citizen Bull, No. 3 Gaming and No. 4 Getaway Car, all trained six-time Derby winner Baffert.

The Road to the Oaks

G W's Girl chased down front-running, odds-on favorite Shisospicy in deep stretch to win Saturday's $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 1 length. G W's Girl, a Munnings filly, ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.44 for her second win from three starts.

Five G dueled to the lead in the $165,000 Fasig-Tipton Cash Run Stakes on New Year's Day at Gulfstream Park, and then kicked away from six rivals to win by 9 lengths. The favorite, Paradise City, was second.

Also: Look Forward got the lead in the stretch in Sunday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita and held on through a late duel to win by a head over Artisma; on the Gulfstream Park grass, Nitrogen won Saturday's $165,000 Ginger Brew Stakes by 1/2 length; and Friday, on Turfway Park's all-weather course, Grace on Grace rallied from next-last of six to win the $125,000 Gowell Stakes by 3/4 length from Les Is Best.

Filly & Mare Sprint

After saddling the exacta in the San Vicente, Baffert turned the same trick four races later in the program, sending out Richi to defeat stablemate Pleasant by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade III Las Flores. Pleasant, last seen finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, was the odds-on favorite.

Around the world, around the clock

Dubai

Tuz, the reigning champion of the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen showed he's plenty ready to defend the crown on World Cup night, April 5, with a dominating win in the Group 3 Dubawi Stakes on Friday at Meydan Racecourse.

The 8-year-old, a Calumet Farm-bred, 8-year-old son of Oxbow, shrugged off early pressure and easily rolled home a 5-length winner under jockey Tadhg O'Shea, who got his 800th victory in the UAE.

"He's a special horse, probably one of the fastest horses in the world right now," O'Shea said of the Bhupat Seemar trainee. "He's a year older now, but to me, he's even better than last year."

The co-feature, in addition to the Guineas Trial, was the Group 2 Zabeel Mile on the on the dirt course. In that, Poker Face put his nose on the wire just in front of Holloway Boy with two Godolphin horses trained by Charlie Appleby reporting third and fourth.

South Africa

Two Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" offerings were decided Saturday at Kenilworth in Cape Town, with one of the winning horses owned in part by golf legend and long-time racing principal Gary Player.

Double Grand Slam, a daughter of Vercingetorix, had no trouble going longer than a mile for the first time in the Group 1 Paddock Stakes, a qualifier for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The filly is owned by Player in partnership with Drakenstein Stud and Dave MacLean.

One Stripe posted his third straight win in the Group 1 L'Ormarins King's Plate, earning a spot in the starting gate for the FanDuel Breeders's Cup Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.