Share

Latest Articles  Dubai World Cup  Florida Derby Day  Santa Anita Hcp  Tampa Bay Derby  Saudi Cup Day

2026 Santa Anita Handicap day

Diego Herrera celebrates aboard British Isles after winning the Big Cap.

The highlight race of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting is the $300,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) presented by Yaamava' Resort and Casino at San Manuel, featuring the best older handicap horses on the west coast going 1 1/4 miles over the main track in Arcadia. Conditions were excellent on Saturday for the 19,112 fans in attendance, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's. After Skippylongstocking and Westwood scratched out, a short field of just 5 went to post with Just a Touch sent off as the 3-5 favorite off his close second place finish in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds. In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Getaway Car, second in the San Pasqual (G2), and 13-2 third choice Vodka Vodka.

Down the stretch in the Santa Anita Handicap

Jockey Armando Ayuso sent 17-2 longest shot Midnight Mammoth to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.86, 46.63, 1:11.31, and 1:36.72 while pressed by Getaway Car and stalked by 7-1 fourth choice British Isles. Into the stretch Midnight Mammoth tired allowing British Isles to inherit the lead through 9f in 1:50.62. Kept to task by Diego Herrera, British Isles drew off to a 4 1/2 length win over late-running Vodka Vodka in 2:05.17. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Getaway Car third, while favorite Just a Touch trailed throughout and checked in fourth beaten 8 1/4 lengths.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 6 British Isles Herrera 16.40 6.00 4.20 4 Vodka Vodka Desormeaux 5.60 4.00 2 Getaway Car Hernandez 3.20 Winning Time: 2:05.17 $1 Exacta 6-4 25.90 $1 Trifecta 6-4-2 69.90 $1 Superfecta 6-4-2-3 92.61

Results Chart

Left: British Isles in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Richard Baltas said, "I feel great. I was a little worried around the turn. Diego did a great job with this horse. I thought around the turn he was asking him and I didn't know if we had anything left, then suddenly, he burst away. I was ecstatic. It meant a lot to the owners and it meant a lot to Diego, his first Grade 1 win."

Right: British Isles in the walking ring before the race. Winning jockey Diego Herrera, celebrating his first Grade 1 win said, "I was trying to keep my horse in a nice rhythm and keep his attention. He likes to look around a little bit sometimes. Even though we were in front by more than a length, he was trying to wander around. I don't even have any words, it is just such a blessing. Thank God that everything came together today. Thank Richie, thank my agent and Nick Cosato. We have a great team and Richie is one hell of a trainer. I'm just very grateful."

Left: Second place finisher Vodka Vodka in the paddock before the race. The Aggie Ordonez trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 3 seconds, and 0 thirds in 12 starts, earning $419,950 for owner-breeders Jerry and Connie Baker and co-owners McLean Racing Stables, William Gorman, Aggie Ordonez, Anthony and Rachel Parsons, and Delbert Williams.

Right: Third place finisher Getaway Car in the post parade. Jockey Juan Hernandez said, "We had a good trip. Everything was fine. He runs hard and shows up every time. Hopefully he will improve from here."

Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Just a Touch in the walking ring before the race. Jockey Florent Geroux said, "It's disappointing. He's run races like this more than once. Diego was traveling better than me all the way around."

Potente wins the San Felipe

Jockey Florent Geroux sent Brant to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.88, 46.62, and 1:10.42 while pressed by So Happy and stalked by 67-1 Robusta. Turning for home Brant tired badly allowing Robusta to gain the lead through 1 mile in 1:36.22. 8-1 Potente, 5th early under Juan Hernandez, came out 3 wide and rallied to win by a head in 1:42.92. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to So Happy third, while Brant checked in fifth beaten 6 3/4 lengths.

Results Chart

Left: Potente in the winner's circle.  Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "I knew the pace was going to be hot. He's bred for that far, I put a really great foundation in my horses before I run them, so he was ready for something like that. Kimura told me he thought the horse was a two-turn horse. (Robusta) is not a bad horse that he beat. He beat Cherokee Nation. We're moving forward with Potente. He'll have another start before the Kentucky Derby."

Right: Potente in the post parade. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "This horse has a lot of talent. He's big, he's strong, and he showed up today. He breaks really, really good and relaxes really well behind the other horses. Last time he ran on the lead, but today, he was traveling really good behind horses, like a professional. As we turned for home, I swung out a little bit, and it took me a little while to get going, because, like I said, he's very big. But man, he's a really, really nice horse. It's only 2nd start and he's improving. I think he's going to be even better next time."

Left: Second place finisher Robusta in the walking ring before the race. Trainer Doug O'Neill said, "He ran huge. The blinkers made the difference today. Brad Kelly of Calumet suggested them. The horse is a homebred and he's super talented. We're going to the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Let's go."

Right: Third place finisher So Happy in the paddock before the race. The Mark Glatt trainee improved his record to 2 wins and 1 third in 3 starts, earning $180,000 for owners Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners.

Fifth place finisher and beaten favorite Brant returns after the race. Trainer Bob Baffert said, "I think Brant was a work away from this race. He got tired. I was just a little disappointed in Brant." Jockey Florent Geroux added, "I broke on top, so my hands were a little bit forced. I tried to slow down a little bit, but my horse probably needed the race and my gut feeling is he's probably better going shorter."

Final Boss wins the Frank E. Kilroe Mile

Jockey Emisael Jaramillo sent 16-1 Mi Bago to a clear lead first time through fractions of 22.88, 45.95, and 1:08.66 while pressed by 12-1 Cabo Spirit and stalked by 31-1 Final Boss. Turning for home Mi Bago continued to lead through 7f in 1:21.01 before tiring badly to finish last. Final Boss came through to win by 1/2 a length over late-running favorite El Potente in 1:32.9. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Almendares third.

Results Chart

Left: Final Boss in the winner's circle. Juan Leyva, assistant to winning trainer John Sadler said, "This horse always gives us a great effort. He's had little issues at times, but he always runs big. We knew there was a lot of speed in this race, so Juan (Hernandez) did a great job in laying off the pace and getting him settled. When it was time to kick for home, he made a huge move to get to the line and win."

Right: Final Boss heads back to the barn after the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "He was training really good in the mornings. I just want to say thanks to John (Sadler) and Juan (Leyva) because they let me ride this horse. They said, 'Hey, this horse is training really good, the horse is ready to win, so do whatever you want with him.' Actually, the horse took me there. He positioned himself. I just smooched at him a little bit at the quarter pole and he won the race. I think the last couple of times he was a little rank, but to be honest, it was kind of my fault because I was chasing a little bit the past couple of times. Today, he broke good, but I left him alone and that was the key. He relaxed and finished really strong."

Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite El Potente in the walking ring. Jockey Hector Berrios said, "I knew there was a lot of speed, and I tried to be comfortable. I put him behind Juan Hernandez. In the last part, he tired."

Right: Third place finisher Almendares in the paddock. The Phil D'Amato trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 6 thirds in 22 starts, earning $583,695 for owners CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano.

Jockey Juan Hernandez sent Splendora to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.49, 46.77, and 1:10.31 while pressed by 13-1 longest shot Bless the Broken and stalked by Nafisa. Turning for home, Splendora left the field behind, opening up a 2 1/2 length advantage through 7f in 1:22.99, and drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths over Bless the Broken in 1:35.16. It was a long 7 lengths back to Om N Joy third.

Results Chart

Left: Splendora in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "We'll see how she comes out of this race. Mainly, we wanted to get the Grade one here. Nothing like a great run, especially winning this race. She's just getting better and better. I haven't mapped anything out for her next race. She'll tell me when she's ready to go next time, and we'll bring her fresh. The main thing is to get her to the Breeders' Cup, get her that championship, which she should have gotten last year."

Right: Splendora returns after the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "She's really fast out of the gate. She was doing it really easy. Today the first fraction was just perfect for her. She's getting better every race. Bob just told me, 'Don't look back and just have fun.' That is what we did."

Left: Second place finisher Bless the Broken in the walking ring before the race. The Brad Cox trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds in 11 starts, earning $544,435 for owners Qatar Racing and Mountmellick Farm.

Right: Third place finisher Om N Joy walks over before the race. Trainer Aggie Ordonez said, "I'm thrilled, I love it. Great start to the year. She was the last one running. She'll move forward from this."

Back to Horse-Races.Net main page