I was fortunate enough to watch the great Affirmed shine in morning works early in his sophomore year and the race with his name attached will be renewed this weekend at Hollywood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Cushion Track. Formerly named the Silver Screen, the Affirmed, a stepping-stone to the Swaps Stakes, has been won by some stars like General Challenge, double BC Classic winner Tiznow and Point Determined.

Last year Two Step Salsa was coming off a wire-to-wire score in the G3 Laz Barrera and it was a déjà vu win in the same flag fall to that’s all mode when posting the 99 Beyer.

This season, the major players will be the trifecta players in the $300,000 Sunland Derby, but the field could entice some sophomores that will have things to say at Breeders’ Cap Day later in the year.

A total of 17 were nominated, and we’ll try to project how each is coming to the fray.

Trainer Doug O’Neill has 4 eyeballing the race. Cape Truth was crushed in his last race in Texas and has never beaten this kind. Dover Street Art graduated across the pond and is seeking his first U.S. victory. Scorewithcater took a shot in Charitable Man’s Peter Pan win but was exposed while Supreme Summit has legit speed, but is obviously stamina challenged after a horrible try in the Withers.

Bob Baffert also has 4 nominated. Street Car is coming off a poor effort on the conventional at Churchill, Misremembered would be seeking the hat trick if he goes while Mythical Power will be a major player after pummeled his rivals in the Lone Star Derby last month.

After Pioneerof the Nile was humbled in the Triple Crown, its doubtful Baffert will wheel him right back.

If Elusive Bluff wins, he’ll be overcoming an extended layoff and winning on something other than grass.

Fiddlers Afleet will be a price if he shows up and would light up the tote if successful.

Grazen got away with a slow pace in his last win and will be getting the acid test while J P Jammer took his debut in at Del Mar, has not won since.

There will be many backers on Kelly Leak if he returns. He’s worked well but has not been seen since beating Mine That Bird in the Sunland Park Derby.

Massone is fragile and will be at the mercy of a hot pace and clear sailing. Paddy the Pro beat some big fields in Ireland but was crushed in only stateside run.

Quindici Man tends to break slow and that’s just what he did in this stakes try last time and if Jerry Hollendorfer wants to rendezvous in the winner’s circle with his student Rendezvous, he’ll have to hope the pace is extremely fast and the race falls completely apart.

The projection is for Misremembered and Supreme Summit to be winging on the lead with Mythical Power getting a perfect garden trip. Among the closers, Kelly Leak, Massone and Grazen will be biding their time looking for a loophole and a clear lane to rally into.

As they approach the wire, Mythical Power will assume command, Kelly Leak will be coming fast but will run out of real estate and have to settle for third while Misremembered splits that pair.