The second Saturday card of the Santa Anita fall meeting is another strong one with four graded stakes on the agenda led by the American Pharoah (G1). The 10-race card kicks off at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT and in addition to the stakes action includes a new promotion worth checking out and registering for at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet.
Race 3: American Pharoah (G1)
This 1 1/16-mile event over the main track for 2YOs not only offers up a spot in the starting gate in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), but also is the Saturday featured race for our new “Breeders’ Cup Bankroll Builder” promotion. The goal of the promo is to bet $25+ on the select race each day over the next few weeks. For every selected race you meet the $25 requirement for, you will earn $5 in bonus bets deposited into your account in time for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on October 31. As always, see the promotional landing page for full details.
The “Breeders’ Cup Bankroll Builder” promo begins on Friday with the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland before we move out west on Saturday for the American Pharoah. The two-turn event for the juveniles has been dominated over the last couple of decades by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. Baffert has won this event a record 13 times and holds a strong hand once again with 4 of the 6 competitors, including my uncreative top choice #1 Desert Gate. The Omaha Beach colt rattled off two impressive victories to start his career before finishing a solid second to the highly regarded Brant in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). The $260k OBS March 2025 purchase draws the rail, retains Juan Hernandez, and looks like the clear one to beat in this year’s American Pharoah.
Play: #1 Desert Gate (3-2 ML)
Race 5:
Saturday’s Pick 6 kicks off with this competitive state-bred MSW event at 6-furlongs over the main track. #6 Southern Melodee and #4 Tommy Norris bring the strongest resumes in, but have already had 4 chances each. I will hope to beat them with #5 My Bodacious Boy. The son of Tough Sunday is out of an Old Topper mare that took several starts to break her maiden, but has produced a pair of first out winners sprinting on dirt. Trainer Tim Yakteen is a solid 7 for 43 over the last five years with 2YO debut runners sprinting over the main track for a juicy $4.64 ROI. Hopefully, this gelding is ready to roll first out against a beatable bunch.
Play: #5 My Bodacious Boy (5-1 ML)
Race 10: Speakeasy
The Saturday finale is for 2YOs sprinting 5-furlongs over the grass and once again offers horseplayers a challenging race to close the card. #2 Twilight Delight was made the 3-1-ML favorite shipping in from Kentucky for low profile trainer Daniel Leitch. Leitch proved capable with the right horses in my time in the Blue Grass State and sends out a colt that has simply been better than the local crew of juveniles he meets in this spot. I am not sure if this Twirling Candy colt takes as much money as the morning line suggests, but I like his chances either way. His upset victory on debut at Ellis Park was a dominant one on the front end before running into a pretty salty group going 6.5-panels in the $1M stake at Kentucky Downs. Twilight Delight is going to be tough to beat if he can replicate his efforts in Kentucky at Santa Anita Park this weekend.
Play: #2 Twilight Delight (3-1 ML)
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