Santa Anita Handicap: Best Odds to Win

by Patricia Woo | Mar 1 2010

One of the most exciting competitors in trainer Bob Baffert's barn, 4-year-old Misremembered will be making his second start of the year. Looking to break a string of runner-up finishes – three in as many outings – Misremembered will also be tasked with redeeming his performance in his last race – the $200,000 Gr. 2 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 13 – where he had a clear path to victory but was outkicked by a relative long shot. Misremembered, a son of Candy Ride, has won a pair of Grade 2 stakes in his career, including the $500,000 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park in Oct. 2009; the Santa Anita Handicap will give him another chance to claim a Grade 1 title. Misremembered has a career record of 10-4-4-0 and earnings of $738,589. Martin Garcia will get the call for the first time.

John Shirreffs will likely send Neko Bay, a 7-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, to the gate for the Santa Anita Handicap with jockey Mike Smith aboard. Already a graded stakes winner this year – he was victorious in the $150,000 Gr. 2 San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 9 – Neko Bay seems to be improving with age. As a 6-year-old, Neko Bay only raced three times: After winning an allowance race in October, he came in sixth in the $1M Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November and capped off his year with a third-place finish in the $100,000 Gr. 3 Native Diver Handicap in December. Neko Bay has $323,020 in career earnings and a race record of 13-5-5-1.

Joel Rosario will be aboard the sole mare in the group, the talented 5-year-old St Trinians. Rather than running his charge against unbeaten superstar Zenyatta in the $250,000 Gr. 1 Santa Margarita Invitational on March 13, trainer Mike Mitchell will instead look to make history in the Santa Anita Handicap, a race that no female horse has ever won. This Piccolo mare has an impressive resume herself: Aside from having raced against colts in Britain, she is undefeated in five starts on American soil, including the $250,000 Gr. 2 Santa Anita Park on Feb. 13 where she beat 2009 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic champion Life is Sweet. In training at Hollywood Park, St Trinians posted a recent 5-furlong breeze in 1:01.60; she has a career record of 11-7-0-3 and $268,587 in earnings.

Others expected include Acclamation, Mast Track, Loup Breton and Jeranimo.

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