Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Steve Andersen handicaps the Saturday, September 26 racing card at Santa Anita, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 10.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Zuzu’s Classic Gal (10th race)
Tenth Race
1. Zuzu’s Classic Gal
2. Training Good
3. Acclaim Perfection
A return to a turf sprint, after a fourth-place finish at a mile on turf last month at Del Mar, should help the 5-year-old mare ZUZU’S CLASSIC GAL reach the winner’s circle in her fourth start. Zuzu’s Classic Gal was second in two five-furlong maiden races on turf in June and July, closing from off the pace to finish second by 1 1-4 lengths on both occasions. This maiden race for statebred fillies and mares is run at six furlongs, which should help Zuzu’s Classic Gal’s closing style. TRAINING GOOD is an uncertain starter from the also-eligible list. If Training Good draws into the field, she will have an outside post, which may not be a hindrance for a closer. Training Good was beaten a nose in a maiden race on turf in her last start in January. ACCLAIM PERFECTION is a full-sister to the multiple stakes winner Kings River Knight. Acclaim Perfection was last of nine in a maiden race as the 3-1 favorite at 6 1-2 furlongs on dirt at Del Mar on Sept. 4. She had a difficult trip, breaking slowly and racing wide. Acclaim Perfection is trained by John Sadler, who has won with two of 15 second-time starters in the last six months. Sally’s Wish starts from the inside post in her 10th start. She can be part of the pace but has yet to show the ability to sustain the effort. A placing seems more likely.
Here are Steve’s thoughts on the other nine races on Saturday’s Santa Anita card.
First Race
1. Dr. Filkins
2. Doing Time
3. Going Nowhere
Troubled trips cost DR. FILKINS and DOING TIME chances to win maiden races at Del Mar. Both have different riders in a $50,000 claiming race for statebred maidens at a mile on turf that begins Saturday’s 10-race program. Jockey Armando Ayuso was fortunate not to be unseated from Dr. Filkins in a maiden claimer on turf on Aug. 8, clipping heels on the turn. Dr. Filkins eventually finished sixth. On Saturday, Juan Hernandez rides Dr. Filkins, who has had three half-mile workouts for trainer Sean McCarthy in the last five weeks. Doing Time raced in traffic on the turn of a maiden race for statebreds on Sept. 7, losing momentum and any chance for a win in his 14th start. This is his first start for a claiming price, and the first time he will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli. Both Dr. Filkins and Doing Time have run from off the pace and will be chasing GOING NOWHERE and Daddys Star, who are expected to race near the front. Going Nowhere has finished second in four of eight starts on turf. He is often prominent in the stretch, but has yet to finish the job. A return to a maiden claimer for the first time since March helps his chances.
Second Race
1. Piper’s Causeway
2. B Grayson
3. Gypsy Tears
PIPER’S CAUSEWAY’s best chance to end a two-race winning streak is to set the pace in this $16,000 claimer at 6 1-2 furlongs. Piper’s Causeway’s last win was his most recent start on dirt, at Santa Anita last October. Piper’s Causeway was beaten in two allowance races for statebreds at five furlongs on turf this summer, finishing sixth and seventh after racing on or near the lead. In this lesser field, Piper’s Causeway is unlikely to face significant pressure. Naftis, who starts from the inside, has shown speed at times, but is winless in his last six starts and last won a sprint on the daytime circuit at Golden Gate Fields in 2024. B GRAYSON will rightfully draw support on the strength of a win in a $20,000 claimer for nonwinners of three at 5 1-2 furlongs at Los Al on Sept. 11 when he launched a wide rally from last of eight. He won a conditional $25,000 claimer at six furlongs at Santa Anita with that style in May. GYPSY TEARS, who starts from the outside in this small field of five, was a dull fourth of six as the 7-5 favorite in a starter allowance at Los Al on Sept. 13. He fits in this field as a three-time winner in the last year who runs from off the pace.
Third Race
1. Detain
2. King of Gosford
3. El Potente
A half-length separated the first four finishers of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 22, a cast that reunites in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile, a race with implications for the BC Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31. This time, the order of finish is highly likely to be different. An edge is given to DETAIN, who closed with a rush to be second by a head in the Del Mar Mile in his American stakes debut. To win this, Detain needs Cabo Spirit and possibly others to set a decent pace. KING OF GOSFORD won the Del Mar Mile, and his preceding start in the restricted Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf on July 19. He led throughout the Wickerr and closed from fourth in the Del Mar Mile. Similar to several in this field, EL POTENTE has a winning chance. EL POTENTE has won six of 10 career starts on turf at Santa Anita. Beaten a neck when third in the Del Mar Mile, El Potente is another runner capable of being part of the pace. He deserves credit for a game performance in the Del Mar Mile after starting from outside in a field of 11. The Southern American multiple Group 1 winner Teao and Irish Aces, second and third in Grade 2 turf stakes at Woodbine in recent months, gave the race greater depth. They can finish in the first three.
Fourth Race
1. Liam Smith
2. Clouseau
3. For All Mankind
LIAM SMITH will be a strong favorite to win this allowance race at 6 1-2 furlongs, but a case can be made for CLOUSEAU to post an upset. Clouseau was second by a neck in a similar race at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 22, losing to Pure Madness, who is entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes for turf sprinters. Clouseau, a winner of 9 of 32 starts, ran one of his better races of late on Aug. 22, and could be well-placed as a stalker if Liam Smith zooms to the lead as expected. Liam Smith overwhelmed four rivals with a 12-length win in a $50,000 claimer for 3-year-olds at Del Mar on Aug. 27, the day he was claimed by Peter Miller. He may set the pace in this race and run the same electrifying race, but could have an early rival in San Saba, who showed speed when he won a maiden race for trainer Bob Baffert in his last start in January 2025. FOR ALL MANKIND is another runner who will benefit if a scorching pace develops. He was second by a half-length after a wide trip in a $40,000 claimer at six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 21, and is entered to be claimed for $50,000 in this field of six.
Fifth Race
1. Sorrento Sky
2. Freedom’s Not Free
3. Sumter
SORRENTO SKY last won a turf sprint on the hillside course at Santa Anita more than 23 months ago, but has an excellent chance to do so in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes. He has lost his last four starts on the course, including a third in the 2025 Eddie D. Sorrento Sky was gelded in late May. In two starts at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar during the summer, Sorrento Sky was third in an allowance race on July 19 and won the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap in a 7-1 upset on Aug. 22. A repeat of the Green Flash, in which he closed from well off the pace, gives Sorrento Sky a stellar chance in this competitive field of nine. FREEDOM’S NOT FREE has a similar closing style in turf sprints as evidenced by his win in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on the hillside turf course in June in his first start in more than nine months. Freedom’s Not Free was beaten in two one-mile turf stakes at Del Mar and should appreciate a return to a turf sprint. SUMTER was beaten a nose in the Daytona, won an allowance race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on July 19, and was fifth in the Green Flash. He won the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course in March by racing near the front throughout. In this field, he is likely to be in pursuit of the capable Virat who set the pace in the Green Flash and finished third by 1 1-2 lengths.
Sixth Race
1. Runaround Sue
2. Not So Merry Mary
3. Savvy Tiger
RUNAROUND SUE managed a fifth-place finish of 10 in a maiden race for statebred 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Aug. 30 in her debut, breaking slowly and steadily progressing through the final half-mile. She can improve against a similar field in her second start. Runaround Sue is trained by Andy Mathis, who has won with two of 10 second-time starters this year. The key for Runaround Sue is a better start. She drew post 5 in this field of nine which may help if she races as a stalker. NOT SO MERRY MARY will be favored and is very easy to like in her third start. Trained by Tim Yakteen, No So Merry Mary ran second in the same race as Runaround Sue on Aug. 30, closing from fourth to finish 2 1-4 lengths behind the clear winner Beautiful Dawn. Not So Merry Mary showed significant improvement in that race from a sixth-place finish in her debut on turf earlier in August. SAVVY TIGER starts from the outside post in this field of nine after a poor showing in her debut when she raced near the front in a five-furlong maiden race on turf for statebreds and faded to finish ninth as the 9-2 third choice. Umberto Rispoli was aboard for that race and retains the mount on a filly who is a full-sister to three dirt winners, including the stakes-placed Blevys Tiger.
Seventh Race
1. Atitlan
2. Sinsel
3. Atomic Age
The Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1-4 miles will be the third start following a layoff for ATITLAN, who finished an excellent second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3-8 miles on Aug. 29. Atitlan closed from last of 11 to miss winning by a neck. He was farther back than normal and still nearly won. On Santa Anita’s turf course, Atitlan won two stakes in consecutive starts in the spring of 2025, including the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1-4 miles. Atitlan is trained by Richard Mandella, who also starts SINSEL, who finished 10th of 11 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 22 after an unsettled trip. He was difficult for jockey Kazushi Kimura to handle early in the race at the back of the field, and still only lost by four lengths. Sinsel was a Group 1 winner at 1 1-4 miles on turf in Brazil in 2025. ATOMIC AGE was third by three-quarters of a length at 24-1 in the Del Mar Handicap in his stakes debut, but rates as a contender in this field of nine. Atomic Age has shown significant improvement since he was gelded in late June. In his first start as a gelding, Atomic Age won an allowance race at 1 3-8 miles on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 6. He can race as a stalker or closer and will be in pursuit of expected early leader Balladeer.
Eighth Race
1. Original Sin
2. Nevada Beach
3. Caldera
ORIGINAL SIN, winner of the Grade 3 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs in May, has his second consecutive appearance in California in the Goodwood Stakes after a second-place finish by 6 1-4 lengths at Del Mar on Aug. 22. Original Sin had a slow start in the Pacific Classic, and rallied from last of 11. At other times in his career, he has raced as a stalker. There should be a solid pace in this field of nine. NEVADA BEACH won the 2025 Goodwood, but has not started since he finished a disappointing 12th of 13 in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February. Nevada Beach is undefeated in three domestic starts at 1 1-8 miles and is trained by Bob Baffert, who has a very strong record with horses returning from layoffs. Nevada Beach has had a good pattern of workouts since early August. CALDERA will have his Grade 1 debut in the Goodwood after winning three consecutive allowance races in one-turn mile races at Gulfstream Park and Colonial Downs. In each win, Caldera raced on or near the lead, a position he is likely to have in the Goodwood, his first start around two turns since a second by three-quarters of a length in the Bathhouse Row Stakes at 1 1-8 miles at Oaklawn Park in April 2025, his final start that year.
Ninth Race
1. Yours Sincerely
2. Little Opal
3. Mo’ Em Down
YOURS SINCERELY was the sharp winner of an allowance race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 2, a win that leaves her as a danger as a stalker in the Grade 3 John C. Harris Stakes at about 6 1-2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. There is little doubt that Your Sincerely will have early targets, notably the speedy LITTLE OPAL, a fascinating prospect who is unbeaten in two starts. Yours Sincerely was beaten a half-length in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course in May and will arguably need a sharper performance to win the Harris, which drew a field of 10. Little Opal won twice at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar, leading throughout a maiden race on July 26 and an allowance race on Sept. 4. She may prove too quick to catch in this race, but could face early pressure from runners such as Come On Om and Seeking Attention, both maiden race winners at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar during the summer. MO’ EM DOWN, an allowance race winner on the hillside turf course in April, won her lone start at Del Mar as the 4-5 favorite in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf. She will be lurking behind the leaders in this field, the style of her three career wins.
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