Flashback moved a step closer to his much-anticipated showdown with Goldencents in the upcoming San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) with a five-furlong workout March 3 in a bullet 59 seconds flat under regular rider Julien Leparoux.
It was the fastest of 63 drills at the distance at Santa Anita Park. The effort was Flashback's final major preparation for the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe March 9.
Goldencents, meanwhile, showed he was fit and ready as well, working a bullet six furlongs March 2 in 1:11 3/5.
Working in company with stablemate Den's Legacy , who was clocked in :59 2/5 under Erick Lopez, Flashback "went nice," according to trainer Bob Baffert, who is looking for his fifth San Felipe victory including one with Horse of the Year Point Given in 2001.
"So far, so good," Baffert said of the dappled gray son of Tapit , winner of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 2.
The work got a little complicated in the final furlong when Flashback and Den's Legacy encountered a third horse who was working in the stretch and then joined the other two in the run to the wire.
Gary and Mary West's Flashback is undefeated in two lifetime starts, breaking his maiden Dec. 8 at Betfair Hollywood Park before his eye-catching 6 1/4-length front-running triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Robert Lewis. The gray/roan colt is out of Rhumb Line, by Mr. Greeley.
Goldencents, trained by Doug O'Neill for W.C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and RAP Racing, has three lifetime wins from four starts with one second and earnings of $782,000. In his most recent start in the one-mile Sham Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 5, the son of Into Mischief out of the Banker's Gold mare Golden Works scored by 1 1/2 lengths over Den's Legacy at odds of 2-5.