Prime Stakes on Tap at Santa Anita: Horse Racing Picks

Santa Anita Stakes

The Chandelier: 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles

1. Princess Noor: Does Bob Baffert have another rock star in his stable? The daughter of Not This Time has rolled to victories in her first two starts. She has been 7-10 in each and won by open lengths. There is no reason to expect anything but a repeat.

2. Miss Costa Rica: She comes off a victory in a five-furlong turf event at Santa Anita. Going from turf to dirt is a solid angle. She’ll have to improve to menace the top pick.

3. Varda: Another Baffert. She scored in debut at 5-1.  Have to figure there is plenty of upside, given the stable where she resides.

The Speakeasy: 2-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs, Turf

1. The Great One: Gretzky the Great won at Woodbine recently so why not have a similar namesake start their career with a victory.

2. Commander Khai: Richard Baltas sends out this Twirling Candy colt. He has two starts with a win and a second and stretches out a half-furlong from five.

3. Basque Man: Trainer Doug O’Neill has this Mineshaft colt ready for debut. Watch the board to see if the action is hot or cold.

The Rodeo Drive: 3-year-old and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/4 miles, Turf

1. Bodhicitta:  Returned from a freshening to take the Yellow Ribbon. Expect this take to see multiple horses on the wire. It’s that wide-open.

2. Tonahutu: Just missed against top choice in the Yellow Ribbon. Might be a touch cheaper than many of these but 19-5-7-0 is a stellar record and makes Tonahutu a threat in any race.

3. Mucho Unusual: As consistent as they come, always good for a Beyer in the 90-95 range and that could earn a big piece of the purse.

The American Pharoah: 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles

1. Spielberg: Been second twice for Baffert. Hard to go against and hard to go to the window with confidence. Will take the money, again, and is a risky proposition until he proves he can win.

2. Weston: Has two wins from three starts. The son of Hit it a Bomb was five lengths back of Spielberg in last.

3. Notable Exception: Trounced way cheaper in debut for trainer Jack Sisterson. Have to think he has much more in his tank off that romp.

The John Henry: 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/4 miles, Turf

1. Originaire: The 4-year-old colt has been in the money 5-of-6 starts at SA.  Has posted 100 Beyers twice at Santa Anita and that’s good enough to win here with a repeat.

2. Next Shares: Has one win from nine starts at Santa Anita with three seconds and a trio of thirds. That means Next Shares is always in the thick of it. Can the 7-year-old find the winner’s circle for the first time since November? Why not?

3. United: Has three victories at Santa Anita and is always a threat on best.

The Awesome Again, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles

1. Maximum Security: Arguably the best horse in training in North America. This should be nothing but a prep for bigger things. Only concern is whether Baffert will have him wound tight for this go.

2. Improbable: Completes what will likely be a short-priced Baffert exacta.

3. Sleepy Eyes Todd: Ran a career-best Beyer in taking the Charles Town Classic. Have to fear a bounce.

Get in on all the Santa Anita racing odds at BetUS. There are plenty of stakes for bettors to feast upon.