Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Brad Free handicaps the Sunday, March 8 racing card at Santa Anita, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 4.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Incanto (4th race)
Fourth Race
1. Incanto
2. Re Armed Jon
3. Vancougar
INCANTO enters this N3L starter turf sprint as a potential standout based on his runner-up finish two back in a N2X allowance and close sixth three starts back in a $250k stakes at Remington Park. The gelding has faced much better than these throughout his career, and is simply the fastest in the field. Lightly raced front-runner RE ARMED JON returns from a four-month break and drops in class from N1X. The likely pacesetter will take them as far as he can, although most six and one-half furlong main-oval turf sprints this winter were won from off the pace. The only gate-to-wire winner was a rails-at-20 wire job by Hey Lil Lady on Feb. 8 (six races this winter at the distance with the rails at 20, like Sunday). VANCOUGAR, stablemate of the top choice, had the race shape against him last out finishing fourth. He set the pace to deep stretch, and got swallowed. The one-two finishers rallied from the back. VANCOUGAR has speed to be positioned second, and probably would get first run if likely pacesetter if RE ARMED JON does not stay the trip.
Here are Brad’s thoughts on the other eight races on Sunday’s Santa Anita card.
First Race
1. Blame Eve
2. Ghostess
3. Watershed Moment
Last-out maiden-20 runner-up BLAME EVE and first-time-dirt class dropper GHOSTESS are evenly matched in this maiden-20 route. The call is BLAME EVE, even though she finished behind her rival when they met on turf two back. But ‘EVE subsequently switched to dirt and ran a winning race. Runner-up to a MSW dropper, ‘EVE earned a relatively high figure (69 Beyer) and finished more than six clear of third. Proven on dirt, ‘EVE can win from off the pace if she runs two alike. GHOSTESS moves to dirt and wheels back one week after finishing sixth in a maiden-50 turf. Though she finished nearly three lengths in front of ‘EVE two back on turf, this is the first dirt start for GHOSTESS. If she handles the surface switch, no reason she cannot win. WATERSHED MOMENT stretches out from turf sprints, drops in class, and is quick enough to make the lead if she wants. Her only dirt start was not good, but that was vs. much tougher.
Second Race
1. Himika
2. Hypergamy
3. Counterbalance
Two turns is uncertain for HIMIKA, likely favorite in this $100k turf stakes for 3yo fillies. But her runner-up finish last out in a hillside stakes suggests she can stay the mile. HIMIKA did not show her customary speed and dropped farther off the pace than expected. She rallied through traffic, took an awkward step after the dirt crossing, then finished well for second. It was actually one of her better efforts. A two-time stakes winner on dirt and the class of this field, HIMIKA ran like she will handle a mile. HYPERGAMY finished fourth in the same turf sprint the top choice exits; six and a half was perhaps too short. HYPERGAMY broke her maiden running long, and missed by only a length two back in route stakes. She stretches back to a mile, and will roll late. COUNTERBALANCE put it all together last out with a Lasix-on maiden sprint win. But circumstances change here. She will not race with Lasix, and she might prefer to sprint. Stakes-placed stablemates YOURS SINCERELY and PEANUTBUTTERBOMBE both have looks. The truth is, all five entrants have a shot.
Third Race
1. Another Zero
2. Christa McAuliffe
3. Surprise D’ Oro
The runner-up debut by ANOTHER ZERO stamps her the one to beat in this sprint for Cal-bred 3yo maiden fillies. ‘ZERO broke last, rushed forward to press, and finished more than three lengths clear of third. Nice debut, three works since, likely winner if she breaks better second time out. CHRISTA MCAULIFFE looms the upset candidate. Her fifth-place debut on dirt two back was better than it looks; she disappointed next out when she pressed a slow pace on turf and backed up to fourth. Now she returns to dirt, is drawn in the favorable outside post, with speed to be forwardly placed. The outside post continues to be dynamite this winter at six furlongs on dirt. Irrespective of field size, the outside post produced 13 winners from 47 races at six furlongs. First-time starters SURPRISE D’ ORO and LA SILENCIOSA are Cal-breds by Kentucky stallions (Bolt d’Oro, Known Agenda).
Fifth Race
1. Scatify
2. Magic Connection
3. No More Ding Dongs
Mega-dropper SCATIFY plummets to $10k claiming N2L, his first start since December. His stable has been firing all winter at all class levels; SCATIFY is far and away the fastest in the field. Tough to be excited over as low-odds dropper, but the gelding should handle this field. Trainer Jeff Mullins entered the week having won with his last five favorites, 9-for-12 with chalk since mid-December. MAGIC CONNECTION finished second at this level his most recent start, while earning the field’s highest last-start figure (65 Beyer). NO MORE DING DONGS has been stuck at this level, in the money three of his last four. Route-to-sprint longshot TYPHOON TOMMY breaks from the advantageous outside post in this six-furlong dash (see post stats in race-3 analysis).
Sixth Race
1. Voldemort
2. Ghazaaly
3. Mc Vay
Repeatedly over-bet VOLDEMORT is the reluctant choice in this N1X dirt mile, despite having squandered the lead last out and missing three of four times he was favored. But he is the recently fastest in the field with back-to-back 90-plus Beyers, and expected to set the pace. It’s his race to win or lose on the front end, but tough to trust. GHAZAALY was overmatched in a Grade 2; his sharp victory two back in a $25k claiming route puts him almost on par with the favorite. GHAZAALY is a three-time winner entered for the optional $50k claim tag. He is a threat from off the pace, facing much easier. MC VAY has trained exceptionally well for his first start since November according to socalworkoutreport.com including a bullet drill March 1 in :46.40. In that work, he reportedly was best over graded winner Westwood. MAGNIFY earned a 93 Beyer last time out, but that race was way back in November 2024. This is his first start since. COWBOY MIKE has speed, and could pester top choice VOLDEMORT.
Seventh Race
1. Sammy Davis
2. Ventry Strand
3. Caro Buono
Plenty reasons to like SAMMY DAVIS in this N1X hillside sprint for 3yos including a beneficial surface switch to turf. Progeny of Sir Prancealot typically prefer grass; the dam of ‘DAVIS was a turf stakes winner who produced turf winner/turf stakes-placed Cali Cat. ‘DAVIS set/pressed the pace and finished second last out in the mile and a sixteenth Cal Cup Derby; this six and half-furlong turf sprint is probably more to his liking. As long as he avoids a duel with potential pace rival TRACK TIGER, ‘DAVIS can win with a front-running/pace-pressing trip. He is trained by John Sadler, who also entered late-runner VENTRY STRAND. The latter continues his gradual improvement, backing up in distance after a fast-closing second at one mile. ‘STRAND is a two-time sprint winner who will rally late. CARO BUONO adds Lasix and drops to N1X for the first time in the U.S. after five tries in U.S. stakes (three fourths, two fifths). The route-to-sprint closer will rally. TRACK TIGER is the aforementioned pace rival for the top choice; Turf Paradise shipper LUCKY AND GONE also has speed.
Eighth Race
1. French Blue
2. Super Corredora
3. Forced Entry
FRENCH BLUE is considered a better filly than her 67-Beyer debut sprint win suggests; the Gun Runner filly is primed to stretch out and upset BC Juvenile Fillies winner SUPER CORREDORA in this G3 route. ‘BLUE, by Gun Runner, is the first runner produced by a G3 winner and trained well since her “ridden out” debut, a race from which third-place finisher PINEY WOODS returned to win by four. Solid works, bred to run long, ‘BLUE just might post an upset over SUPER CORREDORA, champion juvenile filly last year but a disappointment in her 2026 debut. She pressed and surrendered to finish last of four. No visible excuse, unless she simply needed the start. As a 2yo, she improved as the season unfolded. Perhaps that will be the case this year as a 3yo. She figures for a front-running/pace-pressing trip. FORCED ENTRY, stablemate of the top choice, wired maidens by more than seven lengths with a soft trip setting a moderate pace. There is more speed in this lineup, but having already won a route, she merits respect. Cal-bed turf stakes winner CEE DREW will be rolling from behind; she reportedly has worked well on dirt. PINEY WOODS followed her third-place sprint debut with an impressive maiden route victory over a next-out winner.
Ninth Race
1. Lubie’s Music
2. Victorious Dream
3. Bint Al Dandy
The runner-up finish by LUBIE’S MUSIC in her first route, and first on turf, was validated when the first- and fifth-place finishers returned to win. ‘MUSIC finished five lengths clear of third, she has speed to be forwardly placed just off the pace. VICTORIOUS DREAM is the best late threat, runner-up last out at a mile and one-eighth in a slow-pace. Looks like there is more sped in this lineup, ‘DREAM will motor late. BINT AL DANDY finished in the money six straight and will contest the pace along with stretch-out SANDY STREET, stablemate of top choice LUBIE’S MUSIC.
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