The eyes of the racing world will shift westward this Saturday as Santa Anita Park will host the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap. This 1 ¼-mile contest was first held in 1935, when its $100,000 purse (equivalent to $1.9 million today) made it the world’s richest race.
Since then, it’s been won by some of racing’s greats, including Seabiscuit, Round Table, Ack Ack, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, John Henry, Alysheba, and Game On Dude. Three winners of the Big ’Cap have gone on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic at year’s end: Alysheba in 1988, Tiznow in 2001, and Accelerate in 2018.
This year’s renewal has an extra twist, as it begins the Wild West series in California. If a horse wins the Santa Anita Handicap, the Hollywood Gold Cup, and the Pacific Classic, they will receive a $1 million bonus.
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The Santa Anita Handicap will be featured on America’s Best Racing’s “Road to the Derby!” broadcast, hosted by Dan Tordjman, Bram Weinstein, and Matt Bernier. You can tune in on America's Best Racing’s YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook pages, starting at 5:30 PM ET.
Let’s meet the field for this year’s Santa Anita Handicap.
1. Independence Hall (4-1 morning-line odds)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, Kathleen Verratti, and Robert N. Verratti
Career Record: 8 starts - 4 wins - 1 second - 1 third
Career Earnings: $606,600
Earnings Per Start: $75,825
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Constitution – Kalahari Cat, by Cape Town
Color: Dark bay or brown
Age: 4
Running Style: Press the pace/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: At this time last year, Independence Hall looked like a promising Kentucky Derby contender. He won the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old by 12 ¼ lengths, then followed it up with a win in the Jerome Stakes and a second-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. However, he has not won a stakes race since then. He was a flat fifth in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes two starts back, then finished third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes behind freewheeling Knicks Go. He’s shown lots of glimmers of potential, including career-top figures in two of his last three races. This will be his second start against open company in a graded stakes race, and he’s facing a softer field this time around. He should rate just off the leaders and pack a strong punch turning for home.
Bet Independence Hall in the Santa Anita Handicap.
2. Maxfield (8-5)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owner: Godolphin
Career Record: 5 starts - 5 wins - 0 seconds - 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $615,262
Earnings Per Start: $123,052
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 111
Pedigree: Street Sense – Velvety, by Bernardini
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running Style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Perhaps the most famous member of the field, Maxfield carries an unblemished record into this year’s Santa Anita Handicap. Fans first became acquainted with him when he won the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October 2019. Due to recurring physical problems, he’s only raced three times since then. Most recently, he won the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 13. It’s interesting to see Maxfield in this spot, as he’ll enter the Big ’Cap off a 21-day layoff. This is somewhat unusual for him as he’s generally had lots of time off between his races. His speed figure has improved in each of his five starts, peaking at a 111 in his last-out win. If he can keep moving forward here, the rest of the field may have its hands full.
Bet Maxfield in the Santa Anita Handicap.
3. Kiss Today Goodbye (8-1)
Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: Eric Kruljac
Owner: John Sondereker
Career Record: 12 starts - 3 wins - 0 seconds - 3 thirds
Career Earnings: $280,802
Earnings Per Start: $23,400
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108
Pedigree: Cairo Prince – Savvy Hester, by Heatseeker
Color: Dark bay or brown
Age: 4
Running Style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Kiss Today Goodbye burst on the scene in late December, with a 15.80-1 upset win in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes. He did it honestly, closing from last off a moderate tempo to win by half a length over Idol. In his next start, Kiss Today Goodbye went east for the Pegasus World Cup but was a nonthreatening seventh. He’s shown plenty of signs of life on the dirt at Santa Anita, consistently running Equibase Speed Figures in the 100s while making grinding, determined rallies. He’s another one who might get outkicked by classier rivals, but it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see him rally to win this one. Jockey Mike Smith won the Santa Anita Handicap in 2013 and ’14 on Game On Dude and again in ’15 on Shared Belief.
Bet Kiss Today Goodbye in the Santa Anita Handicap.
4. Coastal Defense (15-1)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Dale Romans
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables and Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust
Career Record: 10 starts - 2 wins - 2 seconds - 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $155,266
Earnings Per Start: $15,527
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106
Color: Chestnut
Age: 5
Running Style: Press the pace/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: A late bloomer, Coastal Defense did not make his debut until February of his 4-year-old season. He broke his maiden last June, then impressively won a first-level allowance race at Churchill Downs in September. Since then, he’s missed the top three in three consecutive graded stakes. Perhaps his best race came in the Grade 1 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare at Churchill last fall, where he loomed menacingly in the stretch and finished 2 ¼ lengths behind winner Bodexpress. He’ll look to rebound off a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup last out. Even if he gets back to his career-best form, he might have to improve several points further to win this race.
Bet Coastal Defense in the Santa Anita Handicap.
5. Express Train (3-1)
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Owner: C R K Stable
Career Record: 8 starts - 3 wins - 3 seconds - 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $293,300
Earnings Per Start: $36,663
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Union Rags – I’m a Flake, by Mineshaft
Color: Bay
Age: 4
Running Style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Express Train is the probable second choice in the field behind Maxfield. He enters off a sharp win in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, where he chased down front-running Tizamagician for an impressive 3 ¼-length win. In the start prior, he finished second in the Malibu Stakes behind impressive winner Charlatan. In the summer and fall, he ran back-to-back Equibase figures of 110 at Del Mar and Santa Anita. This will be his third start off the layoff, which is usually a time when horses round into peak form. He’s also had experience over this track, unlike Maxfield who has spent most of his career in the Midwest. If you’re looking for an alternative to the expected heavy favorite, Express Train is your best bet.
Bet Express Train in the Santa Anita Handicap.
6. Idol (6-1)
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Owner: Calvin Nguyen
Career Record: 5 starts - 2 wins - 2 seconds - 1 third
Career Earnings: $176,464
Earnings Per Start: $35,293
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105
Pedigree: Curlin – Marion Ravenwood, by A.P. Indy
Color: Bay
Age: 4
Running Style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Another lightly-raced sort, Idol did not make his first start until Sept. 5, 2020, when he was second in a maiden race on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve undercard at Churchill Downs. Since then, he’s shown signs of promise, finishing second in two graded stakes at Santa Anita. Most recently, he rated in mid-pack off the slow pace set by Tizamagician. Although he made a move after the leader, he got outkicked by Express Train who beat him by 3 ¼ lengths. He steadily runs Equibase Speed Figures in the low-to-mid 100s range, with his peak figure coming in a first-level allowance win at Churchill Downs last November. He’s been disadvantaged by the pace in his last few starts and, while you can’t necessarily hold it against him, it’s also true that the pace scenario on paper doesn't look much different here than it has in his last few races. As such, he might have to close into a slow pace again and I’m not sure if his finishing kick is strong enough to pull it off. He’s a better candidate for exacta and trifecta players. Jockey Joel Rosario has won the last two editions of the Santa Anita Handicap with Gift Box (2019) and Combatant (2020).
Bet Idol in the Santa Anita Handicap.
7. Tizamagician (12-1)
Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Owners: MyRacehorse adnd Spendthrift Farm
Career Record: 14 starts - 3 wins - 6 seconds - 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $219,851
Earnings Per Start: $15,704
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105
Pedigree: Tiznow – Magic Union, by Dixie Union
Color: Dark bay or brown
Age: 4
Running Style: Pacesetter
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Tizamagician almost wired the field in the San Pasqual last out. He went out to the front and led most of the way while setting comfortable fractions. Despite the slow tempo, which included a half-mile in 48.74 seconds, he did not have a response for the closers, barely holding on to second. He’s raced well at longer distances before, having finished second in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup last September. In two of his last four races, he led from start to finish in victories. It’s very likely that he’s going to set the pace here. The question is, will he have enough left in the end to hold off the closers? He’s done well against softer competition, but graded stakes have thus far proved too much for him. I imagine the same scenario will unfold here. Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella won the Big ’Cap in 1997 with Siphon, 1998 with Malek, and 2005 with Rock Hard Ten.
Bet Tizamagician in the Santa Anita Handicap.
8. King Guillermo (12-1)
Jockey: Abel Cedillo
Trainer: Juan Carlos Avila
Owner: Victoria’s Ranch
Career Record: 7 starts - 2 wins - 1 second - 1 third
Career Earnings: $359,350
Earnings Per Start: $51,336
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Uncle Mo – Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band
Color: Bay
Age: 4
Running Style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Notable achievements and interesting facts: King Guillermo made waves last March when he won the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby in a 49.20-1 upset for retired Major League Baseball All-Star Victor Martinez (Victoria’s Ranch). Since then, he’s only raced three times and none of those races were particularly inspiring. Most recently in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, he raced wide the whole way and was soundly defeated by 21 ¾ lengths. If he can manage an easier trip here, he should improve but in both of his races against older horses, as opposed to the 3-year-olds King Guillermo faced last year, he has struggled. That win in the Tampa Bay Derby was against much inferior competition to what he’ll face here. He may simply be outclassed in this spot.
Bet King Guillermo in the Santa Anita Handicap.
Superfecta
6-5-2-1
6-5-2-1
$20
Super High Five
6-5-2-1-7
6-5-2-1-7
$919
Superfecta
6-5-2-1
6-5-2-1
$20
Super High Five
6-5-2-1-7
6-5-2-1-7
$919
