For some, the day after Christmas is a day to return gifts that some people did not want. In the horse racing world, it’s an opportunity for race fans to return to the Great Race Place as the day after Christmas means opening day of the Santa Anita Classic Meet. They have 11 races on the card, and I’ll take a look at the six stakes races on their day after Christmas card.
Santa Anita Race 6 – Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2)
We begin our portion of the day with the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes. We have eight horses going a mile and a sixteenth in this race formerly known as the San Antonio Stakes.
Favored in this race is the 6 Katonah (3/1 ML). He finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar almost two months ago. He was further back than he usually runs but was wide on the turns and had traffic trouble in the stretch.
The 7 Tarantino (7/2 ML) has been on the lead in his last three starts and is the speed of this race. As long as he doesn’t get into a speed duel, especially with the 3 J B Strikes Back (6/1 ML), Tarantino could go gate to wire here today.
If J B Strikes Back does duel with Tarantino, we will see if either can last. J B faces stakes company for the first time today after romping twice in November at Del Mar.
The 5 Lammas (6/1 ML) could benefit from a speed duel up front today. He is half a length away from winning all three of his races on dirt this year. He will need to step up his game here coming down from Northern California, but he has shown he can win on all surfaces from off the pace,
Joe’s Race 6 Pick
This race sets up for two horses in my opinion. Katonah and Lammas should be horses that can close into the front runners as they turn for home. If Tarantino is loose on the lead, the rest of field is running for second. But I’ll take Katonah here to win the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes here.
I’m calling this race 6-5-7-3 and my play is $20 to win on the 6.
Santa Anita Race 7 – San Gabriel Stakes (G2)
We head to the turf for the first time today as we have a field of nine going a mile and an eighth on the turf. This race will actually start on the dirt in the area where the crossover from the hillside turf course to the main portion of the turf course is.
Heavily favored is the 4 Johannes (4/5 ML) who closed to finish second on the Breeders’ Cup Turf but could not get by the winner that day. He looks to go 8 for 10 lifetime on the turf today.
The 7 Mi Hermano Ramon (5/1 ML) won the Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar last month in a wild finish. He looks to continue his upward trend here today despite the heavy favorite here today.
The 2 Easter (6/1 ML) also closed well in the Seabiscuit but had to steady on the final turn. He gets to face Johannes again, who has not defeated in three previous tries.
The 6 Dicey Mo Chara (15/1 ML) will probably be on the lead here. But he has shown that he can run from off the pace as well, so it will be interesting to see where he’s placed once the race starts.
Joe’s Race 7 Pick
This is all about Johannes today. I think he finishes 2024 with this win to finish five for six. I’ll call this 4-2-7-6 and my play is $20 to win on the 4.
Santa Anita Race 8 – Malibu Stakes (G1)
Then we reach the main event, or at least what I am calling the main event here today. The featured race is the Malibu, and we have eight three-year-olds going seven furlongs on the main track. The race also marks the return of the Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (5/2 ML favorite) who will run for the first time in over six months.
Mystik Dan won second time out at Churchill last year going five and a half furlongs, but since that race a year ago, it has been all route races along the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown trail. He ran all the big races and looks to kick off his soon to be four-year-old campaign here in California. If he gets to the rail like he did in the Southwest last February and in the Derby, he will win this race today.
The 1 Bentornato (3/1 ML) won the Gallant Bob at Parx back in September and then just missed at huge odds in the Breeders’ Cup Srpint. He ran well at Charles Town at this distance, which was a trickier two-turn event. But he draws the rail here and could be very tough here today.
The 7 Stronghold (8/1 ML) was also seen last at Parx, but in the Pennsylvania Derby, finishing second to Seize the Grey. He returns here looking to start his 2025 campaign with this race as well.
Bob Baffert has two entries in this race, and the horse that intrigues me is the 2 Pilot Commander (6/1 ML). He is making his fifth lifetime start here and looking to take a huge step. He could be right at the hip of Bentornato down the backstretch.
Joe’s Race 8 Pick
As much as I want to say that Mystik Dan will just return after six months and win, he is racing in unfamiliar surroundings. He may not be able to get to the rail which might mean he won’t get that Kentucky Derby or Southwest trip.
I’m going to take Pilot Commander in an upset here. I think he will take over in the stretch at a nice price. I’ll call this 2-7-6-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 2.
That’s it for part one. Check part two for the final three races on the Santa Anita card.