We welcome Santa Anita back into the fold after the Southern California circuit went to Del Mar and Los Alamitos for the summer. They started their fall meet yesterday, and they have a big card here with races with Breeders’ Cup implications. We will take a look at the last four races on their Saturday card here.
These races are part of the California Crown races at Santa Anita, which management is hoping to be the West Coast’s version of the Pegasus World Cup which is run in January at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
Santa Anita Race 7 – John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (Grade 2)
The first race we will look at today is the John Henry Turf Championship going a mile and a quarter on the turf. We have eleven horses entered in this race which will start at the base of the hillside turf chute.
Cross entered with the Ack Ack at Churchill Downs is the 7 Big Blue Line (20/1 morning line). He is better suited for the dirt which is the race at Churchill, but they are experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Helene this weekend.
Favored in this wide-open race is the 9 Gold Phoenix (7/2 ML). He won the Del Mar Handicap last month and will look to win here in his final prep for that race. In the Del Mar race, he stalked and will look to do the same here today.
The 6 Rockemperor (10/1 ML) will be in the same area of the field as Gold Phoenix. He made a three-wide move on the final turn and finished fourth last time out. Last time he visited the winner’s circle was two years ago, but he always seems to be close.
The 5 Dicey Mo Chara (4/1 ML) almost stole the Del Mar Handicap last month in a race devoid of early speed. There are more horses in this race, but there is still no speed in this race.
Balnikhov (#11, 5/1 ML) is a stone cold closer that could pick up the pieces if there is a faster past than last time at Del Mar. But he still closed well to lose by a neck here. The biggest negative to this horse is that is only has two seconds in eight tries at Santa Anita.
There are horses for courses and horses that are due. Rockemperor is due to win period and will be closing. Balnikhov will be closing as well. But Gold Phoenix will spoil all that and win here. Let’s call this 9-6-11-5 with a $20 win play on the 9.
Santa Anita Race 8 – Eddie D Stakes (Grade 2)
Favored in this race is the 11 Big Invasion (3/1 ML). He closed to win in the Harvey Pack at Saratoga on closing day there. He will be on the outside today and will have to contend with the slight right turn at the top of the hill today.
On the opposite end of the gate is the 1 Johnny Podres (7/2 ML) who closed strongly in the Green Flash at Del Mar at the end of August. He does like this course here and should be doing what he does best here closing in the stretch.
We head all the way up to the top of the hilltop course for this race the Eddie D Stakes. This field of eleven will go about six and a half furlongs here.
The 2 First Peace (4/1 ML) had traffic trouble in the Del Mar Mile and will benefit from the shortening to today’s distance as well. He has two wins down the hill with three seconds and looks to improve on that record here today. He will be a little bit closer to the pace than the gelding beside him in the gate.
The 8 Step Forward (6/1 ML) showed little at Kentucky Downs last month and will come here today looking to bounce back here. He should be closer to the pace or even on the lead where he does his best running. But there are other horses here that will go for the lead with him.
The speed factor will come into play here and will help the closers greatly. I’ll take Johnny Podres to win this race in a thrilling finish over Big Invasion. I’ll call this 1-11-2-8 and my play is $20 to win on the 1.
Santa Anita Race 9 – California Crown Stakes (Grade 1)
We head to the main track for the only dirt race that we will have here today. This race was formerly known as the Awesome Again and was originally called the Goodwood. Today, the winner will get the berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar next month.
Seven horses are entered in the California Crown today but only six will run. According to Brad Free of the Daily Racing Form, Indispensable will be scratched and run tomorrow in the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.
Bob Baffert has three chances to win his ninth Goodwood/Awesome Again/California Crown today. The 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure (8/5 morning line) is favored here in this race. He tired in the Whitney in the mud at Saratoga last month and looks to bounce back here. He will definitely like the dry ground today, but he is 0 for 5 lifetime at Santa Anita.
The 5 Muth (2/1 ML) is the second Baffert horse. He returned to the races with a win in the Shared Belief at Del Mar at the beginning of the month. He will be or close to the pace like he always is. It will be interesting to see how these first two Baffert horses run here today.
The 6 Senor Buscador (5/1 ML) is a stone cold closer who may be compromised by the pace here today. But he does get to go two turns again after that seven-furlong prep at Santa Anita after a trip to the Middle East.
Sunsanador (#2, 5/1 ML) is usually near the front, though he was a few lengths further back than usual in the Iselin at Monmouth last month. He just missed in the Big Cap in March, and then tired in the Gold Cup in May. It will be interesting if he rates or he goes with the two Baffert horses mentioned.
The 1 Newgate (6/1 ML) is the third Baffert horse and he returns after a six-month break following a failed trip to Dubai. This isn’t exactly the spot I’d like to return to race in, but the Breeders’ Cup is five weeks away.
Muth is the best horse in this race, and unlike National Treasure, he was won at Santa Anita. He will win this fairly easily here. Let’s call this race 5-2-3-6 in the Calfornia Crown and my play is $20 to win on the 5.
Santa Anita Race 10 – City of Hope Mile Stakes (Grade 2)
The final race of the day and this article is the City of Hope Mile Stakes, and the winner of this race gets to run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile next month.
Heavily favored in the finale is the 3 Johannes (4/5 ML) who comes into this race winning convincingly in the Eddie Read at Del Mar at the end of July. He is three for three this year and I am not worried about the layoffs between May and July and from July to today. Obviously, they are picking the right spots for him here as he will try to go perfect in four tries this year.
The 1 Du Jour (5/1 ML) is a rare Bob Baffert turf horse here. He closed in the Del Mar Mile and was fourth in a blanket finish last month. He lost to the favorite twice already this year but will look to turn the tables today.
The 6 Trikari (8/1 ML) comes into this race after winning the Secretariat at Colonial Downs last month. He is a Grade 1 winner having won going longer in the Belmont Derby back in June. He could be a candidate for a bounce, but he has been improving in each turf race this year.
Finally returning to graded stakes company is the 4 Packs a Wahlop (15/1 ML). This gelding has been at or near the lead in his last two races at Del Mar. He will have to improve more to get on the board today but that is very possible here.
This race is all about Johannes here, but something tells me the Baffert horse here will find a way to win this somehow. I’m also trying to beat the favorite here. Let’s call this 1-3-6-4, and my play is $20 to win on the 1. Best of luck everyone!
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