Check out my Saturday (1-24-26) Santa Anita Park Race 9 analysis below.
SA 9 (OC-20k/1x, CA-bred, 6T) – Post Time 7:34 PM ET
Primary – #4 CHRISTEL CLEAN, #1 Goodnight Nellie
Secondary – #3 Lamporghini, #7 Mendelssohns Angel
Horse Comments:
#4 Christel Clean (3-1) was part of the trifecta in all four dirt sprints. She exits a CA-bred OC-20k/1x dirt sprint victory as the favorite at DMR in November and dam has tossed a turf winner. Hector Berrios strings along and she owns early-pressing versatility.
#1 Goodnight Nellie (7-2) ran well in three of her first four claiming dirt sprints. She won a $25k/2L affair by 3+ lengths at LRC on 7-6-25 and Periban claimed her from Mathis that day. She dueled and held the place at 5T on 7-26-25 and was 5th of 8 at 5T in August. She returned to dirt and finished third as the even money favorite in October and Andy Mathis re-claimed her, and she captured a CA-bred OC-20k/1x dirt sprint at LRC on Dec. 12. She is back on turf and her new rider Juan Hernandez should have running style options from the inside post.
#3 Lamporghini (8-1) has a good overall record on the turf course at SA (10 3-2-1). Andy Mathis claimed her on 5-9-25 and he is strong with this type of layoff runner. She should be finishing at a price.
#7 Mendelssohns Angel (6-1) is back in a preferred turf sprint after finishing 6th of 8 at 8T. She graduated at this course/distance last September.
Wagers:
#4 to win
Exacta box 1-4
Trifecta 1-4/1-3-4-7/1-3-4-7
January 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Jan. 3 – Sister Troienne ($2.60)
Jan. 7 – G T Five Hundred ($7.24), Trifecta ($132.44)
Jan. 8 – Sweet Odyssey ($5.60), Exacta ($20.00), Trifecta ($72.00)
Jan. 9 – Nafisa ($6.80), Trifecta ($221.00)
Jan. 16 – Going Lucky/O K Rose Exacta ($40.60), Trifecta ($124.20)
Jan. 17 – Cee Drew ($6.40), Exacta ($16.80), Trifecta ($72.00)
Jan. 18 – Centrodelantero ($6.80)
Jan. 22 – Mish ($6.40), Exacta ($29.00)
Jan. 23 – Miss Donna ($4.60), Exacta ($13.60)
Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my full cards.
