Momentum of two different kinds could figure prominently in the Feb. 7 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Bob Baffert has trained the past seven consecutive winners of the race and brings three worthy candidates into this year's running. But Intrepido comes from an ownership that is off to a terrific start in 2026.
Owned by Michele Arthur's Dutch Girl Holdings and Ruben Islas' Irving Ventures, Intrepido won last year's American Pharoah Stakes (G1) and ran fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) after a bad start. Arthur and Islas also own Queen Maxima, a multiple graded stakes winner who already this year has captured the Jan. 11 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3T).
Jeff Mullins trains Intrepido and Queen Maxima. Bloodstock agent and former trainer Mike Pender selected both at auction for the owners.
"Mike is a great friend of ours, and he's actually picked all our horses," Islas said. "Mike is a real talent. We really believe in him."
Added Arthur, "I say he has the eye of the tiger."
Under Mullins' tutelage, Intrepido won twice in four starts last year, picking up 10 Kentucky Derby (G1) points in the American Pharoah. The one-mile Lewis offers twice as many Derby eligibility points to the winner; a scale of 20-10-6-4-2 to the first five finishers.
Intrepido, a son of Maximus Mischief , will be making his first start since the Breeders' Cup. He worked four times in January, including a 5-furlong move in :59 2/5 on Jan. 24 at Santa Anita. Hector Berrios, who has ridden him in all but his debut, returns to ride.
Desert Gate and Plutarch, two of the Baffert entries in the Lewis, also earned Kentucky Derby points in the American Pharoah, finishing second and third, respectively.
Desert Gate, a son of Omaha Beach , was coming off a second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) following an 8 3/4-length triumph in the Best Pal Stakes (G3). The colt, who has not started since the American Pharoah, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for his 3-year-old debut. Juan Hernandez has ridden Desert Gate in all four of his starts and will again be aboard.
Plutarch, by perennial leading sire Into Mischief , has started twice, both times on turf, since his third in the American Pharoah as a maiden. He ran third after a troubled trip in the Oct. 31 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes and earned his maiden Nov. 30 at Del Mar by 4 1/2 lengths.
Baffert's third runner, Cherokee Nation, is still a maiden after four starts. However, the son of Not This Time has run second in two maiden races, once losing by just a nose to Mr. A. P., who parlayed that performance into a second to champion Ted Noffey in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Baffert not only has trained the past seven Lewis winners, he has a record 13 victories in the race. Those date back to General Challenge in 1999. His most recent two winners have been Nysos, winner of the 2025 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and Citizen Bull , champion 2-year-old male of 2024 and winner of that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Three others round out the Lewis field. Briggs Armypower, making his first start for trainer Daniel Jensen, won three of four races at Arapahoe Park last year, including the non-listed Gold Rush Futurity, before running unplaced in the non-listed Lost in the Fog Juvenile Stakes at Turf Paradise. Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, and Secured Freedom, trained by Tim Yakteen, are each coming off of maiden victories after running unplaced in their racing debuts.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 7, 2026, Race 8Entries: Robert B. Lewis S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Desert Gate (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Bob Baffert 6/5 2 2Plutarch (KY) Florent Geroux 120 Bob Baffert 4/1 3 3Cherokee Nation (KY) Antonio Fresu 120 Bob Baffert 5/1 4 4Intrepido (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Jeff Mullins 7/2 5 5Briggs Armypower (KY) Tyler Baze 120 Daniel M. Jensen 30/1 6 6Robusta (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 120 Doug F. O'Neill 15/1 7 7Secured Freedom (VA) Kazushi Kimura 120 Tim Yakteen 6/1
