I cannot wait until Saturday when not only there are three massive Triple Crown preps, but great undercards across the country as well. Santa Anita Park offers one of those with a 12-race slate that kicks off at 12PM local time and includes four other stakes events. Let’s dive in!
Grade Descriptions: A= Highest Degree of Confidence, B= Solid Play, C= Least Preferred or Pass, X= Likely Winner but at odds probably too short to wager on.
Race 1:
Grade: B-
Use: 8 Struck By Her; 2 Marjoram; 6 Will Happen;
Forecast: I loved #2 Marjoram’s debut at Churchill Downs over the off-track last November, but it is hard to want to push all-in on her in the opener. She has not raced since and now races over the lawn for the first time. If she takes to the surface, she is likely better than these, but a pair of fillies on the outside have the recency edge. #8 Struck By Her is the best proven finisher over the grass and #6 Will Happen is likely to get the jump on most of her rivals. I will use a few here to kick off a very playable early Pick 5.
Race 2:
Grade: B-
Use: 1 Comedy Town; 5 Crude Velocity
Forecast: This first-level allowance at 6.5-furlongs over the main track marks an interesting return spot for good looking debut winner #5 Crude Velocity. The Beau Liam colt was impressive besting a field of solid 3YO prospects last month despite a less-than-ideal voyage from his inside draw. The interesting part is he takes on older more seasoned horses in his second career start instead of opting to take on a field of fellow 3YOs. I prefer him to stablemate #7 March of Time, but will use the veteran #1 Comedy Town as well. The 8YO draws the rail, which is not ideal, but has won 8 of 40 career races. Experience has to be good for something.
Race 3:
Grade: A-
Use: 1 Duke Silver
Forecast: I am not in love with the rail, but I absolutely love everything else about #1 Duke Silver in this MSW event for 3YOs over the main track. The son of Silver State commanded $335,000 at the OBS April 2025 sale, which is massive considering his sire stands for just $7500. He ran well in the same race Crude Velocity exits on Big Cap Day and meets a much softer field after gaining invaluable racing experience last out. If he avoids trouble from the rail, he should handle this field.
Race 4: Echo Eddie
Grade: B-
Use: 1 Galloping Ghost; 2 Fionello
Forecast: I am going to hope for serious separation from the public here in the horizontals with a pair of Cal-breds that hopefully get a big setup in this year’s $125,000 Echo Eddie. The 6.5-furlong affair has three runners in the compact group of six that like to be forwardly placed. If they go at it early, things could fall apart late. Many will use 3-2-ML favorite #4 Thirsty Rebel hoping he gets the perfect trip, but I am leery about his ability to settle off a hot pace as well. So, I will take a big swing with a pair of late runners drawn down on the inside.
Race 5:
Grade: C+
Use: 12 Kawazaki; 4 Zalamo; 6 Vantastic; 9 Hotrocket; 5 Jimmy Blue Jeans
Forecast: An absolutely wide-open $25k open claimer over the grass concludes the early Pick 5 and I lack a strong opinion unfortunately. I will use several in here with the hopes that the pace is contentious at the very least. If so, there are some intriguing off the pace options without question.
Race 6: Santa Anita Oaks (G2)
Grade: X
Use: 5 Meaning
Forecast: We will likely shall see how #5 Meaning stacks up nationally in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on the first Saturday in May because not only does she look like the most talented filly in this year’s Santa Anita Oaks (G2), but also the one that should trip out. The Gun Runner filly’s only loss came when she finished fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). I would be surprised if she loses, but her price is far too short at the same time.
Race 7:
Grade: C+
Use: 10 Big Vengeance; 3 Booked Clubhouse
Forecast: It is tough to be overconfident in any of the runners signed on to this MSW event over the grass for Cal-breds. #3 Booked Clubhouse is the most proven commodity. He has run out of room in his last two starts, but perhaps that is not coincidence. He may just lack a will to win. That said, those without racing experience do little for me in this spot, so I will use him and #10 Big Vengeance. The son of Mr. Big cuts back in distance and draws favorably to the outside. If he can get the jump on Booked Clubhouse and some of his other main rivals, he is capable of springing the upset.
Race 8: Evening Jewel
Grade: C+
Use: 5 Another Zero; 7 Mohaven; 3 Cecilia Street
Forecast: There is a decent chance this 6.5-furlong dash over the main track for Cal-bred 3YO fillies is bet like a two-horse race between #5 Another Zero and #7 Mohaven. Mohaven was made the even-money favorite, but I prefer the lighter raced Another Zero. The daughter of I’ll Have Another ran very well on debut to finish second and backed it up with a dominant win at odds-on in her second career start. She has unlimited upside at this point, but needs to avoid getting caught up in an early tussle. If they go fast upfront, perhaps #3 Cecilia Street can steal it with the last move. The Leonard Powell trainee moves back to the dirt and cuts back in distance after a third-place finish in the Cal Cup Oaks in mid-January off just 8 days rest. She is fully rested now and potentially primed for her best.
Race 9:
Grade: B
Use: 10 Prince Dolce; 8 King of Dragons
Forecast: The pace should be contentious at the very least in this state-bred first-level allowance event at one mile over the grass. #12 Call Me Sir and #8 King of Dragons were made the two ML favorites in a relatively wide-open race and both have the right running style to take advantage. That said, Call Me Sir has a challenging draw and has not won since October ’24. King of Dragons is a very difficult horse to ride, but I prefer his upside to Call Me Sir. I like #10 Prince Dolce most though. The son of Sir Prancealot is the best finisher in the field. I am not in love with the addition of blinkers by trainer Steve Knapp, but the veteran conditioner does sport a solid recent ROI when adding the shades for the first time. Hopefully, it helps Prince Dolce finish with intent instead of making him keener during the early stages.
Race 10:
Grade: B
Use: 7 Intrepido; 1 Cherokee Nation
Forecast: The final Grade 1 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is conducted at the Great Race Place at 7:46 eastern/4:46 local time. The featured event on a strong 11-race card has two Bob Baffert runners listed as the two ML choices. I am not sure #2 Potente will go favored over #1 Cherokee Nation, but only one of the two has the upside I am looking for. #2 Potente was all out to beat a modest group in the San Felipe (G2), while Cherokee Nation woke up and ran off the screen breaking his maiden against a field of 3YOs and up. I much prefer Cherokee Nation of the two, but expect him to get over bet, so will take a swing on top with #7 Intrepido. The son of Maximus Mischief makes his second start of the year after a runner-up effort in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) in January. He broke sharp and was part of the early pace that day, but with the outside draw and speed to his inside, I expect jockey Hector Berrios to opt to relax this ridgling a bit in the early stages. If he is able to do so, I think he should be full of run late. He should be a fair price. Hopefully, he runs back to his American Pharoah (G1) effort over this same surface.
Race 11: Monrovia (G3)
Grade: X
Use: 1 Queen Maxima (pictured)
Forecast: I have no desire to take on 4-5-ML favorite #1 Queen Maxima in the final stakes race on the Santa Anita Derby Day menu. The 5YO mare returned in style in mid-January with a win in the Las Cinnegas (G3) and should have no issue getting to the wire first again assuming she can avoid trouble being down on the inside. She is not a great wager probably, but betting against her appears unwise as well.
Race 12:
Grade: B+
Use: 11 Somerset West
Forecast: They saved one of my top plays of the day for the finale, which is fine by me! #11 Somerset West ran better than her fourth-place finish suggests on debut for the John Sadler barn. Not only was Sadler chilly at the time and not necessarily known for winning with first-time starters on the grass, but this filly was by far the one finishing best in that full field MSW field. I love the outside draw for this daughter of Kantharos. Hopefully, the experience helps her gate issues. Antonio Fresu will be the pilot this time around.
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