Saturday’s Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park doesn’t jump off the page as a blockbuster, but it does feature a compact group of colts with legitimate upside, and for me, that’s where the real intrigue lives.
This is not about who looks the flashiest on paper today.
It’s about who might still be standing when the distances get longer, the pressure intensifies, and the calendar flips toward the first Saturday in May.
And that brings me to Plutarch. On paper, the pace is modest.
Desert Gate draws the rail, owns the strongest early figures, and is the most likely leader. He’s fast, professional, and has already proven himself at this level. Bob Baffert trains him, he’s been firing bullets in the morning, and there is nothing sneaky about his credentials. If he controls things up front, he can absolutely take this field a long way.
But races aren’t always won by who looks best early. They’re often decided by who finishes best. Plutarch does not profile as the obvious winner in a race that may lack pace and distance. That’s exactly why I like him. He owns the best late punch in this field, and more importantly, he shows bottom — real, sustained finishing power, not cosmetic late energy against soft setups.
Yes, his maiden win came on turf. Yes, he has spent a good chunk of his young career on grass. But this idea that he’s “just a turf horse” doesn’t hold water.
- By Into Mischief, a proven dirt influence.
- Out of Stellar Wind, a multiple Grade 1 winner on dirt.
- Already competitive in top-level dirt company as a juvenile.
That is not turf-only DNA.
What stands out to me most is how he finishes. He doesn’t just pass tired horses — he lengthens stride and accelerates, which is the hallmark of a colt who wants more ground, not less. Could the race flow work against him? Absolutely. But sometimes the best horse doesn’t need perfect conditions. Sometimes the best horse just needs a lane.
Here’s the key point: Even if Plutarch doesn’t win Saturday, I’m more interested in how he finishes than where he finishes. If he’s charging late, galloping out strongly, and giving the visual impression of a colt crying out for more distance, that’s a massive green light going forward. Those are the types that show up later in March and April and start turning heads when others begin flattening out. Saturday could be the first public glimpse of that arc.
Florent Geroux just landed out west, and his first major opportunity comes aboard Plutarch for Bob Baffert. That’s not an accident. Geroux is hungry. Baffert spots aggressively when he believes. That combination matters.
Plutarch may not get the perfect setup. He may not win Saturday. But I believe he is the best finisher in the race, and those are the horses I want in my stable, in my notebook, and on my radar when the real Derby trail heats up. Sometimes you bet today. Sometimes you invest in tomorrow. Plutarch feels like an investment horse. And those are usually the most profitable kind. I’m just hoping he can get a little luck on Saturday.