The 2012 San Vicente Stakes on February 19 at Santa Anita Park has an entry of six horses hoping to use it as a stepping stone to the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The San Vicente Stakes is another 2012 Kentucky Derby prep race. Will one of these horses wear the blanket of roses at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May?  Will their owners join our Kentucky Derby Tours?

Norfolk Stakes winner Creative Causes is prepping for his expected 3-year-old debut in this Sunday’s San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park.  Earlier this month, he worked six furlongs on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track Feb. 4 in 1:13 4/5.  Creative Cause’s work was the sixth fastest of 17 at the distance over Hollywood’s Cushion Track. The San Vicente Stakes, which is Sunday, February 19, will be contested at seven furlongs on Santa Anita’s main track.

Trained by Mike Harrington for owner Heinz Steinmann, Creative Cause has not been out since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Churchill Downs. He was defeated by one length by Hansen in the race. Prior to that, Creative Cause posted a 3 1/4-length triumph in Santa Anita’s Norfolk, which was his first start around two turns. He was second last summer in the Del Mar Futurity after winning Del Mar’s Best Pal Stakes.

The gray/roan colt is a son of Giant Causeway out of the Siberian Summer mare Dream of Summer, winner of the 2005 Apple Blossom Handicap. Creative Cause was weighted at 124 pounds on The Jockey Club’s recently released Experimental Free Handicap, two fewer than the top-weighted Hansen and Union Rags.

Creative Cause, bred in Kentucky by James C. Weigel, has a 3-1-1 lifetime record in five starts with earnings of $521,000. He has had six published workouts at Hollywood since Dec. 30.

Also on the 3-year-old campaign in Southern California, impressive Sham Stakes winner Out of Bounds remains on course for the San Felipe Stakes March 10, trainer Eoin Harty said.  “He’s had three works since we ran him (in the Sham on Jan. 7) and he’s got four more until he runs again,” said Harty, who professes not to be caught up with “Derby Fever”.   “It’s a long time between now and May,” he said.

Here are the post positions, entries, jockeys, owners, trainers and any equipment change:

1 LET’S GET CRACKIN  Espinoza, V  – Joseph M. Robson –  Craig Dollase     Blinkers-Off

2 CREATIVE CAUSE   Rosario, J –  Heinz Steinmann –  Mike Harrington

3 DRILL  Garcia, M –  Pegram or Watson or Weitman – Bob Baffert

4 SMOKING G   Nakatani, C  –  Gary or Cecil Barber – Peter Miller

5 AMERICAN ACT  Pedroza, M –  Howard & Janet Siegel Racing, LLC –  Jack Carava

6 CAPTAIN OBVIOUS   Gutierrez, M – Reddam Racing, LLC  – B. D. A. Cecil  Blinkers-On