Following a 14-length maiden triump Jan. 23 at Santa Anita Park, The Great One will likely point to the March 6 $300,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2), a race that offers qualifying points toward a spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) starting gate on a 50-20-10-5 scale.
Trainer Doug O'Neill plans to "monitor the colt and then huddle up with the boys (owners)" before making a decision.
"That's probably the logical spot right now," said O'Neill, who trains the Louisiana-bred son of his 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist for an ownership group that includes Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing. Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall Brennan, Tom Fritz, and William Strauss are also co-owners.
"Erik named him for Wayne Gretzky, one of Eric's idols growing up," O'Neill said, "Erik and Wayne are friends, so it's pretty cool."
Gretzky, who played for the Edmonton Oilers from 1978-99, holds a host of hockey records and is not only considered by many the greatest hockey player of all-time, but in some quarters, the greatest athlete of all time, justifying his nickname, "The Great One."
The 3-year-old colt The Great One broke his maiden in his fifth start. Under Abel Cedillo, he stalked the pace in second through the first half-mile before taking over and drawing away. He completed a mile in 1:37.28 and will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the San Felipe. One start before breaking his maiden, The Great One finished second in the Dec. 19 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), a 1 1/16-mile event in which he set the pace and was beaten a nose by Spielberg.
"You never figure on winning like that," O'Neill said of the maiden win. "Your main focus is just trying to get him to the wire first. You never figure they're going to win by 14, although he had been training really, really well. Each race had been better than the previous one.
"Since we added blinkers (last Nov. 29), he's really focused. It's very exciting and hopefully we'll have more fun down the road."
O'Neill will send saddle two Triple Crown hopefuls Jan. 30 in the $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3)—TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) runner-up Hot Rod Charlie and maiden winner .
Triple Crown temptation continues for Team O'Neill this Saturday when two other precocious three-year-olds run in the Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Hot Rod Charlie and impressive maiden winner Wipe the Slate.
Eagle Orb Pointed to Withers
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said he will keep E.V. Racing Stable's Eagle Orb in pursuit of Kentucky Derby qualifying points and plans on pointing the New York-bred stakes winner to the $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 1 1/8-mile Withers offers 10-4-2-1 points to the top four finishers.
The son of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb earned four Derby points when second in the Jan. 1 Jerome Stakes going a one-turn mile. The Withers will be Eagle Orb's first start going two turns as he attempts his first overall win past six furlongs.
"We're going to try for the Withers," Rodriguez said. "He's been training very good. Right now is the time to take a chance so that's the place to go. We just have to keep the dream alive."
