Meet the Contenders: $400,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap | Sunday, March 3, 2024

Won 11 times by legendary jockey Willie Shoemaker, the Santa Anita Handicap has been held beneath the scenic San Gabriel Mountains since 1935. It’s the west coast’s most iconic horse race from Seabiscuit to Affirmed to John Henry and Alysheba. Despite a 24-hour weather delay from Saturday to Sunday, the Big ‘Cap is back.

Let’s meet the contenders for the 1-1/4 miles Santa Anita Handicap (Race 8):

#1-REINCARNATE: The 2023 Sham Stakes and Los Alamitos Derby winner makes his first start since November and his first at the classic mile and one-quarter trip since fading to 13th in last year’s Kentucky Derby. This will be his first start against older horses for 5-time Santa Anita Handicap-winning trainer Bob Baffert. Jockey Juan Hernandez will be in search of his first Big ‘Cap score. Expect him near the early pace.

#2-HIGHLAND FALLS: Regally bred son of Breeders’ Cup winners Curlin (’07 Classic) and Round Pond (’06 Distaff) makes his first rise into the stakes ranks. Brad Cox, champion trainer of 2023, sends the Godolphin blue color-bearer west from his New Orleans base, fresh off an allowance win at Fair Grounds. Highland Falls has won 3 of 4 lifetime starts, but has yet to race beyond 1-1/16 miles. Jockey Florent Geroux has won both starts aboard this colt, who could be stalking mid-pack in the early go. Shaman Ghost in 2017 was the last direct ship-in Santa Anita Handicap winner, trained by Jimmy Jerkens.

#3-MIXTO: The San Antonio runner-up and San Pasqual third-place finisher takes a third shot against rival Newgrange as the trip once again extends in distance. Like Big ‘Cap rival Reincarnate, he’s a son of Good Magic, runner-up in the 10-furlong Kentucky Derby in 2018 and sire of last year’s Derby victor Mage. Mixto has just 1 win from 9 lifetime starts, but has run the 3 best races of his career in his last 3 starts since teaming with jockey Antonio Fresu. Trainer Doug O’Neill saddled Lava Man to back-to-back wins in this race in 2006-’07.

#4-SALESMAN: Irish-bred returns to the races for the first time since a romping, 8-1/4 length score on Breeders’ Cup weekend in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes. Will shorten the distance from that 1-5/8 miles marathon in search of his second domestic victory. Former French turfer has transitioned smoothly to dirt for trainer Richard Mandella, whose storied local resume includes Big ‘Cap victories in 1997 (Siphon), 1998 (Malek) and 2005 (Rock Hard Ten). Flavien Prat seeks his first winning ride in this race.

#5 NEWGATE: He returned from 11 months on the sidelines to post back-to-back runner-up finishes at the current Classic Meet at Santa Anita, most recently in the San Pasqual. Beaten a length that day by Newgrange when bet to 8-5 favoritism, he’ll look to add to his 2023 Robert B. Lewis Stakes victory. Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Santa Anita Handicap 5 times, second only to Charlie Whittingham’s 9 victories in this race. The pressing/stalking running style Newgate employs will be in the capable hands of world-renowned jockey Frankie Dettori.

#6 SUBSANADOR: Argentine-bred could continue a long history of South American success in the Big ‘Cap, which includes winners like Lord At War, Siphon, Malek and Einstein. Strongly backed as the 6-5 favorite in his US debut, finishing a flat fourth in the Dec. 26 San Antonio. He’ll need to make up just over 3 lengths to Newgrange from that tilt while also collaring Mixto. He won 4 of 5 starts in his homeland in 2023 before swapping hemispheres. Jockey Flavien Prat jumps off to ride Salesman, leaving the mount to Hector Berrios. Trainer John Sadler won 3 straight Santa Anita Handicaps from 2018-’20, the last 2 of which (Gift Box and Combatant) were veteran horses transferred to his care similar to Subsanador.

#7 NEWGRANGE: On target for Horse of the Meet honors, this 5-year-old has won the San Antonio and San Pasqual in succession, the latter for the second year in a row. His impeccable Santa Anita record of 7: 5-0-1, field-best $1 million earned and recent success make him the 124-pound highweight in the field. Newgrange will gives his rivals 3-6 pounds on the handicap scale, but notably carried the same 124 pounds to victory in the 9-furlong San Pasqual. Troubled start last year in the Big ‘Cap when never factoring in seventh, he’ll look to make amends with his typical, front-end presence under Victor Espinoza, who won this race in 2018 (Accelerate) and 2022 (Express Train). Phil D’Amato looks to saddle his first Santa Anita Handicap winner.