Secret Circle, winner of the inaugural Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint last November at Churchill Downs, will make his first attempt around two turns for trainer Bob Baffert in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park on January 7.  Secret Circle is one of six 3-year-olds entered in the Sham Stakes, which was shortened to one mile this year from its prior length of 1 1/16 miles.

The Sham is the first of three two-turn graded stakes in Southern California for 3-year-olds leading up to the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, April 7. The sham Stakes is considered a prep for the Kentucky Derby.  It will be the third race on a nine-race program.

Secret Circle, who has captured his three prior sprint starts by a combined 13 1/2 lengths, will race without blinkers in the Sham. The son of Eddington drifted out with blinkers on for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup. He held on to take the Juvenile Sprint as the 2-5 choice despite being jostled at the start.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Secret Circle was bought last March for $165,000 at the Ocala sales.  Rafael Bejarano, who has been aboard the bay colt in each of his races, will ride him.

The Sham Stakes race will also be the first route try for Hierro, an impressive maiden winner at Churchill Downs on November 9 for trainer Steve Asmussen.  Asmussen won last year’s Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park with Tapizar.  A son of Hard Spun, Hierro is expected to handle the distance. Hierro will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

Other horses in the Sham Stakes include Longview Drive had a three-race win streak on the Northern California fair circuit end when he  finished third behind the well-regarded Sabercat in the 1 1/16-mile Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs in Louisiana on November 19. The Pulpit colt is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for owner Steve Beneto. Joel Rosario will be aboard Longview Drive, who will add blinkers for his sixth start at six different racetracks.

Handsome Mike set a hard-pressed pace in the 1 1/16-mile Cash Call Futurity and gave way in the final furlong at Hollywood Park to finish seventh.  J. Paul Reddam’s Scat Daddy colt ran second in the one mile Generous Stakes on the turf prior to that. Corey Nakatani is aboard the Doug O’Neill trainee.

Darley Stable’s Out of Bounds comes off a nice maiden win on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track and will be stretching out from seven furlongs for trainer Eoin Harty.  Garrett Gomez is aboard.

Senor Rain bore out badly in his turf debut, and trainer Peter Miller removes the blinkers this time. The Indiana-bred gelding ran third in the 1 1/16-mile Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park on November 12. Joe Talamo is aboard.

You can see the race on HRTV.