Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Brad Free handicaps the Saturday, January 10 racing card at Santa Anita, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 5, the San Vicente Stakes.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Buetane (5th race)
Race 5
1. Buetane
2. So Happy
3. Acknowledgemeplz
The G2 San Vicente Stakes, seven furlongs for 3yos, goes through G1-placed BUETANE, who makes his first start since finishing second in the Hopeful in September at Saratoga. The colt who beat him, Ted Noffey, subsequently won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. BUETANE has been off four months, but he worked very well for trainer Bob Baffert, who has won this stakes 14 times including five of the last six with favorites. BUETANE proved in his debut he runs well fresh, his works say he is ready to fire. SO HAPPY popped at $78 in his debut in late November at DMR, and has trained forwardly since. Although the horse he beat (Winston Ave) returned to run poorly, ‘HAPPY has done well since and fits as an off-the-pace upset candidate. He obviously is facing better company, but last-out maiden winners won this stakes five of the last nine years. ACKNOWLEDGEMEPLZ shortens back to a sprint after he misfired in a G2 route. His highly rated maiden win two starts back gives him a shot on the front end. Blinkers on. Debut winner GREENWICH VILLAGE is speed on the rail, and THIRSTY REBEL takes on tougher after winning a Cal-bred allowance.
Here are Brad’s thoughts on the other nine races on Saturday’s Santa Anita card.
Race 1
1. Only Reputation
2. Morgan’s Bluff
3. Expressive Love
ONLY REPUTATION gets the nod in a weak $10k claiming N2L route, despite uncertainty regarding two turns and dirt. But she has been facing much better, and her previous turf routes were not that bad. She drops from Cal-bred allowance, and is the lukewarm choice to win with a pressing trip. Late-runner MORGAN’S BLUFF will pick them up late. She can stay two turns, and she has never raced at a class level this low (for winners). In a race that could go a number of ways, ‘BLUFF will be running in the stretch. EXPRESSIVE LOVE got loose on a soft pace and wired a Cal-bred maiden-12.5k last out. She probably won’t get the same slow-pace trip, but she is sharp and there is not much quality in this field. The filly ‘LOVE defeated last out (Vronaway) was a maiden-claiming contender Friday in race 1. PERFECT LIFE drops and stretches out. This race is a mess.
Race 2
1. Bint Al Dandy
2. Claire Austin
3. Surf Song
BINT AL DANDY, a six-start maiden with five in-the-money finishes, might like this shorter six-furlong distance after tiring late in all her recent routes. The filly who beat ‘DANDY by a head last out returned to win a N1X. With a front-running or pace-pressing trip going route to sprint, ‘DANDY can finally break her maiden. CLAIRE AUSTIN ran super in her debut racing five furlongs at Del Mar. She was completely void of speed, was far back into the stretch, then kicked strongly late and missed by only a head. Good debut by a filly who benefits by the longer six-furlong trip. SURF SONG is a late-running maiden who finished in the money four of seven starts. Her career-best effort was the only other time she sprinted on turf, a runner-up finish two starts back. MISS KITTY BOOM is the first runner produced by a stakes-winning dam; SANDY STREET is a 5yo first-time starter who might be using this sprint to prep for a route.
Race 3
1. Explora
2. Revera
3. Himika
Favorites are tough in the seven-furlong Santa Ynez Stakes for 3yo fillies: favorites won the last seven. EXPLORA will try to extend the streak. Runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last out, G2 winner and G1-placed before that, she is the class of the field and a capable sprinter though both recent starts were routes. She has speed to create her own trip from the outside post, and enters as simply the best filly in the field. This race was scheduled for last Saturday, but racing was cancelled and the stakes was redrawn. The redraw benefited REVERA, who was stuck on the rail last weekend but landed post 4 of 5 this time. She also had an outside trip last time when she upset HIMIKA, and figures for the same pressing trip. But she’ll have to catch HIMIKA, a speedster who must use her speed from the rail. A multiple stakes winner, HIMIKA is a front-end threat. LA WALLY, G1- and G2-placed before she misfired in the Breeders’ Cup, cuts back to one turn and should be running late. BOTTLE OF ROUGE, winner of the G1 Del Mar Debutante, misfired in the BC Juvenile Fillies, but has trained well since. This is a prep for longer, she is a contender from off the pace. The truth is, all five entrants have a shot.
Race 4
1. Dark Omen
2. Sirnami
3. Romantic Ride
First-time starter DARK OMEN has shown above-average ability in workouts; the gelding can fire first out in this main-oval turf sprint for Cal-bred maiden 3yos. ‘OMEN is by Om, whose progeny have won at an above-average 15 percent clip first out (all ages). The dam of ‘OMEN won her career debut by five lengths, though neither of her first two runners won first out. Three successive bullet workouts by ‘OMEN include two from the gate; the gelding looks ready to roll for the productive trainer-jockey combo of Aggie Ordonez and Kent Desormeaux. SIRNAMI finished a creditable second in his debut racing five furlongs at DMR; maidens trained by Mike Puype generally improve with experience. Puype won with three of his last six second-start maidens in turf sprints. ROMANTIC RIDE reportedly has worked super in California following his runner-up debut at Churchill Downs. He was claimed for $30k. Sired by Clubhouse Ride, the switch to turf should be fine. MONSIEUR BIG worked well going into his debut, was well-bet at 2.30-1, but finished a flat seventh. He trained better than he ran, and probably deserves another chance. ALMOST THERE finished second both starts last year in Cal-bred turf sprints. Obvious contender in what looks like a deep field.
Race 6
1. Hey Lil Lady
2. Pocket Venus
3. Cloudy Women
This N2L starter, six furlongs on turf, is difficult. The tepid choice is dropper HEY LIL LADY, a late-runner starting for the optional $50k claim tag. Although she is pace dependent, and this field is not exactly loaded with speed, these rivals are easier than ‘LADY has been running against. Her figures match or exceed par for this level; she can rally for the win. Front-runner POCKET VENUS enters as a legit contender based on her first three starts on dirt. She earned respectable figures (debut maiden win, two runner-up finishes), and she could have things her own way out front. Her only pace rival is the filly in the outside post. The challenge for POCKET VENUS is to reproduce her dirt form on turf. She is by Spun to Run, whose progeny are only 3-for-77 in turf sprints according to Formulator. No turf influence from her female family, either. But the pace scenario gives front-runner ‘VENUS a chance despite surface uncertainty. CLOUDY WOMEN missed by only a half-length in a similar SA turf sprint last time out; she’ll rally late. CLUBHOUSE CUTIE is the aforementioned pace rival for the top choice. ‘CUTIE, sibling to multi-surface stakes winner The Chosen Vron, has run well on turf and meets winners after a decent maiden win on dirt.
Race 7
1. Handsome Ticket
2. No More Ding Dongs
3. Nobel Gary
This race originally was scheduled for Jan. 1, when racing was cancelled. Class-drop comebacker HANDSOME TICKET remains the horse to beat. A front-runner who placed in three higher-level starter allowance races before he was sidelined, he returns in a low-level $10k claiming N2L sprint as the speed of the field with the highest figures. His main rival is NO MORE DING DONGS, who produced improved speed both recent starts including a fast runner-up finish last out behind streaking Dirty Words, who returned to win again. ‘DONGS could be positioned second behind the favorite, and would therefore get first run if the pacesetter falters. Route-to-sprint NOBEL GARY misfired last out, but three previous starts were in-the-money finishes at this class level. Shortening in distance, he is likely to be outrun early and rally late. LAST CALL PAUL has speed to make his presence felt partway.
Race 8
1. Don’t Swear Dave
2. Vantastic
3. Russells Hustle
This $25k claiming race at a mile on turf is wide open. DON’T SWEAR DAVE gets the call based on fast races at this level in summer at DMR (win, second). He misfired last out, but was reclaimed by Hector Palma, who trained him most of 2025 when he had a win and three seconds vs. similar. His figures match or exceed the 84 Beyer par for this level, ‘DAVE can win from slightly off the pace. VANTASTIC is a 10yo pro with seven wins on SA turf. Runner-up at this level last out while defeating the top choice, VANTASTIC drew the outside post (11 of 11) in this turf mile, but that is okay. With his closing style, he will tuck in, drop out, and rally late. RUSSELLS HUSTLE drops to claiming ranks after N1X company was too tough recently. His starter allowance win three back at DMR ranks as one of the fastest recent races by any in the field. JIMMY BLUE JEANS will be pressing the pace, first off the claim by a high-percent first-off-the-claim outfit. George Papaprodromou is 9-for-22 first off the claim since December 2024. GEM MINT TEN, previously based on New York, drops in for a tag and should be forwardly placed. Deep race.
Race 9
1. Dial a Friend
2. Elegant Sway
3. Empress of Grace
Los Alamitos nighttime specialist DIAL A FRIEND can win this $10k claiming race at six furlongs. She might be the speed of the field, she has won at Santa Anita, and many of her rivals are off form. ELEGANT SWAY nosedives from $20k claiming to $10k claiming. The last time she raced for a low tag, in September at LRC, she finished second by a half-length. Expect her to be running late. EMPRESS OF GRACE won both recent starts, a $25k claiming N2L and a $16k claiming sprint for 3yos. Now she faces unrestricted older claiming fillies and mares, she is sufficiently versatile to either press the pace or rally from behind. SHE’S SPENDID moves up in class after she dusted earlier at LRC; ROUSING JEWEL has speed to keep the top choice honest.
Race 10
1. Cali Cat
2. King of Dragons
3. One Smokin Dude
In a deep field of Cal-bred allowance turf milers, CALI CAT gets the nod. His route races last spring and summer against 3yos were decent; he was in tough and compromised by a slow start last out in a turf sprint stakes. This mile trip is his preferred distance; he has speed to be positioned just off the pace. The past three years, trainer John Sadler and jockey Hector Berrios have teamed to win 27 percent on turf (38 for 142). KING OF DRAGONS finished a creditable second last out while making his first start since February. ‘DRAGON is lightly raced (six starts) with room to improve second start back. ONE SMOKIN DUDE stretches out for the first time, with speed to set or press the pace. He won both recent starts in dirt sprints. AFTERNOON NAP also stretches out with speed to influence the pace. WARM SUN AND BREW looked good winning his second start, a maiden turf route in which he benefitted by a tepid pace. Different circumstances here from a pace perspective, but he has room to improve.
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