January 4, 2025
CALIFORNIA — By Ed DeRosa
The stakes double on Saturday at Santa Anita Park features a juxtaposition of sorts as Triple Crown hopefuls take to the track for the San Vicente Stakes while older female sprinters feature in the Los Flores Stakes.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has a pair in each of these races, and while a sweep is possible, he is far more likely to win the Las Flores.
That means the better value proposition is in the San Vicente Stakes. The two favorites are the Baffert-trained debut winner Barnes and undefeated Grade 3 winner Bullard.
I prefer the latter, as he has the fastest race among any in this field and should have some pace to close into. Bullard is 4-to-5 on the morning line, and while that is too short for me, there is a good chance Barnes ends up favored, which would make Bullard playable.
Baffert’s other horse in here is another debut winner in Romanesque. He is intriguing as another pace presence who maybe just runs away from these at the seven-furlong distance at a decent price.
Lastly, Smooth Cruisein is worth a look here and probably the key to betting. He is 12-to-1 on the morning line after overcoming a bad start to upset his debut run. He will be overlooked here, too, but the speed figures say he is competitive. From a wagering standpoint, I would key #4 Smooth Cruisein with Barnes, Bullard, and Romanesque and bet Smooth Cruisein to win anywhere near his morning line (12-to-1).
The Las Flores is less compelling from a wagering standpoint, but we do get to see a good horse in the return of Pleasant following a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
At 3-to-5 on the morning line we’re hardly getting rich, but she is a stone-cold single in all exotics for those playing such things. The closest to her in terms of talent is the other Baffert trainee Richi, but I suspect this is more a prep for her. Pleasant is the horse to beat but again: tough to bet at odds on.