Georgie Boy passes test in San Felipe Stakes

The ending was much happier for jockey Michael Baze in his second collaboration with Georgie Boy on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Replacing the injured Rafael Bejarano on the 7-5 favorite in the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes, Baze got the money in the Grade II with a fast finish to defeat 7-2 third choice Gayego by three-quarters of a length.

Given the nod by owner-breeder George Schwary and trainer Kathy Walsh to ride the Tribal Rule gelding after Bejarano was hurt in a spill on Thursday, Baze is now one for two on Georgie Boy. In his debut under Baze last June 16 at Hollywood Park, Georgie Boy was third as the 4-5 favorite.

In winning for the fourth time in seven starts, Georgie Boy passed his first two-turn test -- he had never run beyond seven furlongs before Saturday.

Never far off the slow pace set by 7-2 second choice Bob Black Jack, Georgie Boy had some anxious moments briefly in terms of traffic early in the stretch, but Baze was never concerned and Georgie Boy accelerated once he had a clear path. The dark bay ran his last sixteenth of a mile in less than six seconds.

“He’s matured dramatically since the last time I rode him,” Baze said. “He’s really filled out. He really impressed me more after the wire. I had a harder time pulling him up than I did during the race. I didn’t get him pulled up until the five-eighths pole.”

With the Kentucky Derby obviously the main target, Schwary and Walsh didn’t indicate what the next stop would be, but there are two possibilities -- the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 5 or the $1-million Arkansas Derby a week later at Oaklawn Park. If Georgie Boy were to go to Hot Springs, it would mark his first start on conventional dirt. All of his races in California have come on synthetic surfaces.

War Pass, the reigning 2-year-old champion and undefeated in his first five starts, finished last as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite in the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.

After breaking a tad slowly and being pinched back, the Cherokee Run colt found himself in an unfamiliar position -- not in front -- and began to falter around the far turn under regular jockey Cornelio Velasquez.

Big Truck, the second choice at 7-1 in the Grade III, was up to defeat Atoned in the final strides for his third victory in seven starts. Eibar Coa rode the 3-year-old Hook And Ladder colt for owner Eric Fein and trainer Barclay Tagg.

About an hour later at Oaklawn Park, Sierra Sunset, a California-bred trained by Jeff Bonde, won the $300,000 Rebel by three lengths and earned himself a start in the Arkansas Derby.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com