Royal Mo won the $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes by 31/2 lengths Saturday at Santa Anita, giving owners Jerry and Ann Moss a second contender for the Kentucky Derby.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Royal Mo ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.48. The 3-year-old colt trained by John Shirreffs earned 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse field.

The Mosses’ other 3-year-old, Gormley, won the Sham Stakes by a head last month at Santa Anita. The couple won the 2005 Kentucky Derby with 50-1 Giacomo, tied for the second-longest shot to win the race.

“We haven’t had two horses in this position in a long time and it’s fun,” said Jerry Moss, co-founder of A&M Records. “We don’t really see anyone else coming up that scares us.”

Royal Mo paid $5, $3.40 and $2.20. The colt’s sire is Uncle Mo, who was undefeated as a 2-year-old but got knocked out of the 2011 Kentucky Derby because of illness.

Irap returned $4.20 and $2.60 while 7-5 favorite Sheer Flattery was another neck back in third and paid $2.20 to show in the Grade 3 race.

“Royal Mo just ran lights out,” said Doug O’Neill, who trains Irap, fourth-place Term of Art and last-place Dangerfield. “When you give a horse like Royal Mo an uncontested lead, you’re going to be in trouble.”

Breaking from the rail in the field of five, Espinoza took Royal Mo to the early lead. Irap pulled even with Royal Mo heading into the stretch turn, but soon fell back.

“He’s such a big, heavy horse,” Espinoza said. “He doesn’t have that quickness for the first couple of strides. As soon as he gets into a rhythm though, he’ll keep going.”

Royal Mo ran second in his first two starts and then won by 11/4 lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 27. The Mosses purchased the colt for $300,000 at auction.

“He’s improving a lot,” Espinoza said. “From the last few races to this race, he’s really coming along. He’s going in the right direction. Hopefully, we keep going all the way.”

Moss said he wants to separate Royal Mo and Gormley, who is being pointed toward the San Felipe Stakes on March 11 at Santa Anita.

“I like Arkansas and it’s been great for us,” said Moss, whose superstar mare Zenyatta won at Oaklawn Park. “We’ll take one of them back there.”

Sheer Flattery was floated four-wide into the first turn, moved up inside leaving the second turn and just missed finishing second.

In other stakes:

• Hoppertunity won the $300,000 San Antonio Stakes by a length over 9-5 favorite Mor Spirit, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish in the Grade 2 race.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Hoppertunity ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.55 and paid $7 to win.

Accelerate finished third.

• Isotherm won the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes by a half-length under Prat, who won two other races on the card. The 4-year-old colt ran 11/4 miles on turf in 2:00.23 and paid $17.20 to win.

A pair of France-breds, Itsinthepost and Flamboyant, were second and third. Texas Ryano, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth.

• St. Joe Bay won the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes by 21/4 lengths under Kent Desormeaux.

The 5-year-old gelding ran six furlongs in 1:08.75 and paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade 2 race.

Moe Candy was second and Ike Walker took third.

Classic Empire falls

Irish War Cry led all the way to upset Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Classic Empire in the $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallendale Beach, Florida.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Irish War Cry ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.52 on Saturday. The New Jersey-bred colt paid $10.80, $4 and $2.20 at 4-1 odds.

Delta Downs Jackpot winner Gunnevera returned $4 and $2.10, while Classic Empire paid $2.10 to show.

Sent off as the 1-2 favorite, Classic Empire was making his 3-year-old debut after winning an Eclipse Award as 2-year-old male champion. He won four of five starts last year, including a neck victory in the BC Juvenile at Santa Anita.

Trained by Graham Motion, Maryland-based Irish War Cry won his career debut by 4 lengths on Nov. 11. He is a son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.

Overdose death

Retired star jockey Garrett Gomez died of an overdose of methamphetamines in December.

Dr. Gregory Hess, chief medical examiner of Pima County, Arizona, cited toxicology tests as the cause of death in Saturday’s Daily Racing Form.

The 44-year-old former rider with a history of substance abuse won more than 4,000 races, including 13 in the Breeders’ Cup.

Gomez was found unconscious Dec. 14 in a room at a resort near Tucson and declared dead at the scene. He had returned to his hometown in recent years after riding in Southern California.

He had said he was having alcohol and personal problems when he rode his last race in 2013. He detailed his struggles with drugs and alcohol in an autobiography.

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