California Crown Day at Santa Anita is upon us – five stakes races, four graded, two offering all-fees paid berths in the $7 mullion Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with the $1 million California Crown Stakes (G1) the marquee attraction.
After months of pumping up the day as a festival of fine dining, entertainment, and top-flight racing, the Stronach Group’s 1/ST Racing is hoping the day matches the popularity of Pegasus World Cup Day in January at its track in Florida, Gulfstream Park.
Zedan Racing’s Muth and jockey Juan Hernandez win the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes Sunday, September 1, 2024 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, CA
Benoit Photo
National Treasure and Muth Headline Competitive Field for California Crown
A field of seven was entered in the 1 1/8-mile California Crown, led by a trio from trainer Bob Baffert – 8-5 morning-line favorite National Treasure, 2-1 second choice Muth, and 6-1 Newgate.
On Thursday, though, John Sadler, who trains 20-1 longshot Indispensable, said his colt would instead run in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) at Remington Park on Sunday, reducing the California Crown field to six.
National Treasure, the 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner, is 2-for-4 in 2024, with wins in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1). The 4-year-old Quality Road colt ran sixth in the Whitney Stakes (G1) over a sloppy track at Saratoga on Aug. 3.
Muth, the Arkansas Derby (G1) winner sidelined for six months, returned with a victory in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 1.
Newgate won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 3, then ran ninth in the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 30 in his most recent start.
Baffert Seeks Another Win as California Crown Stakes Offers Breeders’ Cup Classic Spot
National Treasure is a front-runner, Muth stalks the pace, and Newgate seems to run well from mid-pack.
The winner receives an all-fees paid, automatic berth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
The field also includes Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador (6-1) and Philip H. Iselin (G3) winner Subsanador (5-1). The longshot is Katonah (15-1).
Baffert has won this race, formerly the Awesome Again Stakes, formerly the Goodwood, a record eight times.
Senor Buscador, trained by Todd Fincher, comes into the race with more $11.7 million in earnings – a win in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), third in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), and second by a neck to National Treasure in the Pegasus World Cup. Last out, he was fourth in the 7-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) on Aug. 24 at Del Mar.
The other BC “Win and You’re In’’ race is the City of Hope Mile (G2) for 3-year-olds and up (winner earns a spot in the BC Mile).
Also on the card: the $750,000 Eddie D. Stakes (G2), the $750,000 John Henry Turf Championship (G2), and the $100,000 Unzip Me Stakes.
Post time for the California Crown is 7:30 p.m. ET
For those who bet horse racing …
The picks: 1 Muth 2 National Treasure 3 Newgate
The field for the $1 million California Crown (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Newgate (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert), 6-1
2 Subsanador (Mike Smith, Richard Mandella), 5-1
3 National Treasure (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert), 8-5
4 Katonah (Tiago Pereira, Doug O’Neill), 15-1
5 Muth (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert), 2-1
6 Senor Buscador (Joe Talamo, Todd Fincher), 6-1
7 Indispensable (Hector Berrios, John Sadler), 20-1