Horse Racing Betting - Santa Anita Handicap

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Horse Racing Betting at WagerWeb Racebook

A full field of 14 is entered for Saturday's 1¼-mile, $1 million Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, a race that has long been the signature event of Santa Anita's Winter/Spring meeting.

Awesome Gem drew the No. 5 post position and was established as the 4-1 opening-line favorite the 71st running. Awesome Gem, trained by Craig Dollase and to be ridden by David Flores, hasn't won in five starts since an allowance race June 23 at Hollywood Park. But those five starts have all come in graded takes, and Awesome Gem has produced second-or third-place finishes each time.

The 5-year-old gelding strung together second-place finishes in the San Diego Handicap and Pacific Classic in July and August at Del Mar and the Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita in September before a third-place effort in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic in October at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, finishing behind Curlin and Hard Spun but ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

Awesome Gem is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds. The winner of last year's San Fernando Breeders' Cup has earnings of better than $1.61 million in 16 lifetime starts. He has been in the money 13 timesm with four wins and seven second-place finishes.

Awesome Gem missed winning the Goodwood Stakes by only a nose to fellow 'Cap entrant Tiago, just one start after losing the Pacific Classic in a strong rally that cut the advantage of Student Council, yet another horse in Saturday's field, to a diminishing half-length.

 

Second favorite Monterey Jazz, also trained by Dollase, is working on a three-race win streak. Prior to his victory in the Strub Stakes, the 4-year-old won the Sir Beaufort on the turf following an allowance win.

"Awesome Gem and Monterey Jazz have contrasting styles. Monterey Jazz has one way of going – come and catch me," Dollase said. "I'm not a very good poker player, but I've got a good hand here."

One jockey that may have an advantage over his rivals is Garrett Gomez, who has ridden eight of the race's 14 entrants at one point or another. Gomez will ride Go Between, who is trained by Bill Mott.

"It gives me an advantage," Gomez said. "I know their tendencies and where they should be placed. It helps out a lot."

Two-time defending Santa Anita champion Lava Man is being held back from the race. Trained by Doug O'Neill, the 7-year-old gelding may return at the Hollywood Park spring/summer meet.

Here is a complete list of the 'Cap field, in order of post position:

Champs Elysees, Ramon Dominguez, 10-1; Tiago, Mike Smith, 6-1; Big Booster, Michael Baze, 15-1; Medici Code, Martin Pedroza, 15-1; Awesome Gem, David Flores, 4-1; Monterey Jazz, Russell Baze, 5-1; Zappa, Joel Rosario, 15-1; Seminole Native, Jose Valdivia Jr., 30-1; Celtic Dreamin, Alex Solis, 20-1; Heatseeker, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1; Student Council, Richard Migliore, 12-1; Go Between, Garrett Gomez, 6-1; Great Hunter, Victor Espinoza, 8-1, and Air Commander, Aaron Gryder, 20-1.

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