Santa Anita Recap for Friday (1-5-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at one mile on dirt. On the turf course, a 4-1 stalker won the 6f opener, a stalking favorite scored at 6.5f, a 3-1 midpack stalker tallied at one mile, a 5-2 closer won at 6f, and a 5-2 stalker captured the 6f finale (rail at 30 feet).
Turf sprint hat trick for Frankie Dettori. Trainer Steve Knapp saddled three dirt route winners. Vladimir Cerin saddled two turf winners.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $110,786 and multiple tickets with six winners paid $6,576.10. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $108.10.
Jan. 5 Claims: Race 4 – Paco’s Pico ($10k, Ed Moger Jr). Race 5 – Quaria Thunder ($25k, John Sadler). Race 7 – Paleo’s Princess ($20k, Steve Knapp). Race 8 – Established ($25k, Dan Azcarate), Lambeau ($25k, Librado Barocio), Top Gun Tommy ($25k, Steve Knapp).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (1-5-24)
SA 3 ZE’BUL ($2.60)
Double (races 3-4, $18.60)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $58.60)
SA 8 TOP GUN TOMMY (SA Best Bet #2, $12.60), Exacta ($52.00)
Double (races 7-8, $81.40)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $170.20)
SA 9 VIRAT ($7.40), Trifecta ($72.20)
Double (races 8-9, $72.60)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $281.80)
GG 7 PROOF HE RIDES ($11.20)
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 9, GG 8) – $521.00
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Saturday (1-6-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. No front running winners on dirt. Pace pressers won all four dirt sprints on the card. On the turf course, a 3-1 inside stalker graduated in the flat mile opener, a stalking favorite scored at 6f, an 18-1 front runner earned his diploma at 6f, a front running favorite tallied down the hill, and a 5-1 stalker won the 9f finale.
Riding doubles for Juan Hernandez and Flavien Prat.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 1-6-24
Grade 2 San Vicente (7f): Muth was the overwhelming favorite and this was basically a paid workout. Slider gained a short lead over Pilot Commander, and Muth was in a nice tactical spot in 3rd. The opening quarter was a reasonable 22.88 and the half was 45.27. They ran 6f in 1:09.76 and Pilot Commander stuck his head in front in the lane, but Muth always looked like a winner. The G1 American Pharoah hero pounced in the lane under Juan Hernandez and he scored by an easy 2 3/4 lengths. Pilot Commander landed the place by a head over clear show finisher Slider. Voltage, Moonlit Sonata, and Formidable Man also ran. Bob Baffert saddled the 1-2 finishers, and the winner stopped the clock in 1:23.01.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $181,525, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $1,446,30. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $24.90.
Jan. 6 Claims: Race 2 – Man Child ($50k, Kristin Mulhall).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (1-6-24)
SA 3 CARMEN MIRANDA ($3.80), Exacta ($7.40)
Double (races 2-3, $43.20)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $168.40)
SA 4 Safa/Chasing Kat/Fiamina Trifecta ($24.40)
Double (races 3-4, $7.40)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $74.80)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $163.20)
SA 6 BIG CITY LIGHTS (SA Best Bet #1, $4.80), Trifecta ($22.80)
Double (races 5-6, $98.20)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $138.40)
SA 7 LUNAR IMPACT ($7.20), Trifecta ($125.60)
Double (races 6-7, $24.80)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $318.60)
SA 8 MUTH ($2.80), Exacta ($6.00)
Double (races 7-8, $13.00)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $30.60)
Double (races 8-9, $24.40)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $71.20)
SA Late Pick 4 (races 6-9, $197.60)
50 cent SA Late Pick 5 (races 5-9, $716.95)
$1 SA Pick 6 (races 4-9, 6 of 6, $1,446.30)
AQU 3 DRUM ROLL PLEASE ($3.20), Exacta ($7.30)
AQU 8 Comparative/Saddle Up Jessie/Evidencias Trifecta ($45.40)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (1-7-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at seven panels on dirt. On the turf course, a last-to-first closer scored as the favorite at one mile, a 3-1 front runner tallied at one mile, a 5-2 stalker won at a mile, and a 4-1 closer was placed first through disqualification in a special weight finale at one mile (rail at 20 feet).
Hat trick for Flavien Prat (2 turf routes). Riding double for Juan Hernandez (dirt sprints). Phil D’Amato saddled three winners. Two were turf route winners and Prat rode those runners. Richard Mandella saddled two winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 1-7-24
Grade 3 Santa Ynez (7f): Kopion was 20 cents on the dollar vs. three opponents in this extended sprint points race on the road to Kentucky Oaks 2024. The only horse of paper with a chance to upend the chalk was Tambo, but she stumbled badly at the start and lost all chance, and that left Kopion ($2.40) all alone on the lead. Richard Mandella’s Omaha Beach filly was on cruise control throughout under Flavien Prat, and she won by a very easy 5 3/4 lengths. Don’t Bring Crazy was clearly second best and Tambo was 4+ lengths behind her. Bossy Bruin Gal brought up the rear. The final time was 1:23.89 and the winner is unbeaten and untested after two starts.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $186,858, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $631.40. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $15.80. There is a Super High 5 carryover of $35,276 into Friday’s opener.
Jan. 7 Claims: Race 1 – Derecho Dandy ($16k, Ed Moger Jr), Montana ($16k, Lorenzo Campuzano).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (1-7-24)
SA 5 ELWOOD BLUES ($3.40)
Double (races 4-5, $19.20)
SA 6 Shady Tiger/Two by Four/Curlin’s Kaos Trifecta ($252.20)
Double (races 5-6, $8.20)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $57.20)
Double (races 6-7, $23.40)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $48.60)
SA 8 KOPION ($2.40)
Double (races 7-8, $10.80)
Pick 3 (races 6-89, $43.40)
SA 9 CITY EXILE ($10.60)
Double (races 8-9, $12.40)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $48.20)
50 cent Late Pick 4 (races 6-9, $52.35)
50 cent Late Pick 5 (races 5-9, $107.55)
GG 9 Unbridled Vision/Everydsayissaturday Exacta ($9.80)
$1 Golden Hour Pick 4 (SA 8, GG 7, SA 9, GG 8) – $58.80
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 9, GG 8) – $84.50
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
Article by Jarrod Horak
Please visit The Runaway Horse Sales page to purchase my SANTA ANITA PARK full card picks.
