Bob Baffert, Santa Anita's leading trainer the last six meets, seeks his second consecutive victory in the $100,000 San Miguel Stakes (gr. III) on Sunday with Echeverria.
Baffert sent out The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Popular to win the San Miguel last year.
"I don't know why he stopped running in Chicago," Baffert said of Echeverria's eighth-place finish in the Arlington Washington Futurity (gr. III) at Arlington Park last Sept. 28. "But he'straining good for this race and I expect him to run well."
Echeverria, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Awesome Again, will be making his Santa Anita debut in the six-furlong San Miguel, which will be run for the 46th time. He won two races at Ellis Park last year and has a 2-1-0 record from five starts, with earnings of $56,970 for owner Mike Pegram.
The San Miguel drew six starters, all with promising credentials.
Omega Code, trained by Wesley Ward, equaled a track record at Fairplex Park Sept. 22 and set a record in winning a six-furlong stakes at Fresno in 1:07 3/5 Oct. 5.
Only The Best, trained by Brian Lynch, captured the Sunny Slope Stakes at Oak Tree Oct. 19.
$100,000 San Miguel Stakes, 3-year-olds, 6 furlongsPP. Hors,e Jockey, Wgt.
1. Omega Code, Martin Pedroza, 121
2. Jimmy O, Victor Espinoza, 118
3. Bossanova, Alex Solis, 114
4. Echeverria, David Flores, 116
5. Red Apache, Corey Nakatani, 118
6. Only The Best, Pat Valenzuela, 121