- Major Kentucky Derby prep action is staged at Santa Anita this weekend
- The Santa Anita Derby has produced leading Triple Crown contenders throughout history
A busy weekend of horse racing action is set for the United States this weekend. The G1 Santa Anita Derby is typically considered to be one of the most important prep races for the Kentucky Derby, and a talented field will go to post in the race this weekend.
Schedule & How To Watch
- When: Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 5:30 PM ET
- Where: Santa Anita Park, California
- How To Watch: TVG
Before Betting On Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby has been an important prep race with the Kentucky Derby in mind throughout history. This race was first staged in 1935, and the field of three-year-old horses will complete a total distance of 1 1/8 miles. Ten previous winners of the race have later landed success in the Kentucky Derby, with a further seven losers in this Grade 1 later landing victory in the opening Triple Crown race.
Bob Baffert’s runners are ineligible to pick up qualifying points, but his runners deserve respect, as the Hall of Famer has landed a record nine victories in this race. Imagination looks to be his leading contender this weekend, with Frankie Dettori taking the ride. He was sensational on his latest start, scoring a speed figure of 104 when landing the G2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.
John Sadler has trained some very talented runners over recent years, and he could have a leading chance in the form of Tapalo this weekend. This three-year-old was a winner at Santa Anita in January, and he ran with a lot of credit when finishing second in the El Camino Real Derby on his previous outing.
Stronghold also holds leading claims for Philip D’Amato this weekend. This three-year-old has won twice from five career starts, but he is yet to finish outside of the top two during his career. A dominant step in the right direction was made on his return to action when scoring in the G3 Sunland Park Derby.
Santa Anita Derby Offshore Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Curlin’s Kaos | TBA |
| Tapalo | TBA |
| Stronghold | TBA |
| Imagination | TBA |
| Wynstock | TBA |
| Tessuto | TBA |
| Mc Vay | TBA |
| E J Won The Cup | TBA |
We expect this to be one of the more competitive Kentucky Derby preps this weekend. However, we will be taking a chance on the ultra-consistent Stronghold to emerge as a leading Derby contender.
