Check out my Saturday (2-14-26) Santa Anita Park Race 7 analysis below.
SA 7 (G3 San Marcos, 10T) – Post Time 6:37 PM ET
Primary – #7 STAY HOT, #9 Gold Phoenix
Secondary – #4 Truly Quality, #5 Mondego
Horse Comments:
#7 Stay Hot (7-2) is a reliable turf route runner for Peter Eurton. He won the G3 DeMille in 2023, and took the La Jolla last year and was second in the G2 Del Mar Derby. He ended 2024 with a runner-up finish in the G2 Mathis Mile, and returned from a layoff and wired the field in the Texas Turf Classic June 28. He stalked the pace and was an even third in the G2 Eddie Read July 27, and he rallied to miss by a neck as my top choice in the G2 Del Mar Handicap Aug. 30. I went with him again in the G2 John Henry Turf at 10T Sept. 27 and he rallied for the place behind Gold Phoenix. He was stuck in the outside post and finished 6th of 8 (beaten 3.5 lengths) in the G2 Seabiscuit in November, and he stalked and missed the show by a nose as the favorite in the San Gabriel at 9T Dec. 28. The versatile sort is 6-for-19 with five runner-up finishes and two show finishes on turf and he owns some decent late pace ratings. He likes this turf course (8 3-3-0) and figures to stalk the pace under Juan Hernandez.
#9 Gold Phoenix (9-5) is 5-for-10 at DMR and 4-for-4 at 11T and he clearly loves that turf course. He won the G2 Del Mar Handicap in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He owns the Del Mar ‘Cap and maintained sharp form in the G2 John Henry Turf at 10T last September at SA. He finished 5th in the BC Turf last time. The 8-year-old gelding is training well and might win this as the favorite.
#4 Truly Quality (3-1) won three straight turf route stakes races in 2024 including the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup He was flat as the beaten favorite in his first start last year in the San Marcos (G3) in February, and he showed signs of life when rallying to finish 4th of 9 (beaten 1/2 length) in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) on Aug. 30. He removed blinkers and repeated in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November, and he was a clear third as the beaten favorite in the John B. Connally Turf Cup Jan. 24. He worked a half-mile at SA Feb. 6.
#5 Mondego (8-1) won a DMR optional-claiming affair at 1 3/8 miles on turf in August, and he was 5th of 9 in the Del Mar Handicap and 4th of 7 in the John Henry Turf (G2). He rallied for the show in the G3 San Gabriel at 9T in December and will try to get involved late from the outside post under Emisael Jaramillo.
Wagers:
#7 to win
Exacta 7/4-9
Exacta 4-9/7
Trifecta 4-7-9/4-7-9/5
Recent 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Jan. 22 – Mish ($6.40), Exacta ($29.00)
Jan. 23 – Miss Donna ($4.60), Exacta ($13.60)
Jan. 27 – Little Trouble ($2.40)
Jan. 28 – Midnight Onyx ($5.20), Exacta ($14.80), Trifecta ($47.80)
Jan. 29 – Ashima ($2.80), Exacta ($9.40), Trifecta ($27.20)
Jan. 31 – Counterbalance ($6.40), Exacta ($50.40)
Feb. 2 – Shut Up Michael/Cane Creek Road Exacta ($21.80), Trifecta ($58.20)
Feb. 3 – Goodfella/Jimmy B Exacta ($5.60), Trifecta ($14.60)
Feb. 4 – Attending/Americandreammaker Exacta ($37.80)
Feb. 6 – Runamileinmyshoes/Our Moonlight Exacta ($9.20), Trifecta ($19.60)
Feb. 12 – Otherpeoplesmoney ($5.90), Exacta ($22.00)
Feb. 13 – Lovin’ On the Run/Artisma Exacta ($20.40)
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