Saturday’s $300,000, Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes Offered by DK Horse at Santa Anita Park is the marquee prep race for West Coast-based 2-year-olds on the Street to the Breeders’ Cup. It’s a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Offered by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, which shall be held Nov. 1 at close by Del Mar, giving the winner a fees-paid berth to the World Championships occasion.

The American Pharoah additionally would be the first prep race in California to supply qualifying factors to the 2025 Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve. The highest 5 finishers of the American Pharoah will earn factors towards the 151^st Kentucky Derby on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.

Seven juveniles are entered within the American Pharoah and three of them are educated by Bob Baffert. The extremely profitable however embattled Baffert has gained the Kentucky Derby six instances, which is tied for essentially the most within the race’s historical past, however he was banned from taking part within the Derby from 2022-’24 stemming from the disqualification of his trainee Medina Spirit from first within the 2021 Derby. Now that Baffert’s Derby ban has been lifted by Churchill Downs Inc., Saturday’s American Pharoah Stakes is much more intriguing as a result of it will likely be a prep race for each the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby for the three Baffert horses entered.

Two of these Baffert colts, #3 Citizen Bull and #7 Getaway Automotive, enter the American Pharoah off begins within the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity held at seven furlongs on Sept. 8, a race gained by yet one more Baffert-trained prospect, Gaming. Citizen Bull completed third by a neck over Getaway Automotive, who set the early tempo within the Del Mar Futurity earlier than tiring, and the pair have been properly behind Gaming and runner-up #1 McKinzie Avenue, who was eager early and needed to examine briefly getting into the flip however ran on properly within the homestretch to complete a transparent second.

McKinzie Avenue earned an attention grabbing 100 Equibase Pace Determine within the Del Mar Futurity, an eight-point enchancment from the 92 he registered when profitable a 5 ½-furlong maiden race July 28 at Del Mar. Regardless of being pegged because the 9-5 morning-line favourite, he may be missed considerably within the parimutuel betting as submit time nears because of the presence of the Baffert-trained trio, however his credentials stack up properly towards them and he ought to be capable of deal with stretching out to 2 turns within the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah. Coach Tim Yakteen has been working the colt steadily at Santa Anita for the reason that Del Mar Futurity and underrated jockey Kazushi Kimura is again within the saddle after driving McKinzie Avenue in his first two begins.

My betting technique for the American Pharoah shall be as follows: first, I’ll wager McKinzie Avenue to win at odds of 5-2 or greater. Getaway Automotive is the 2-1 morning-line second alternative within the American Pharoah, whereas Citizen Bull is the third alternative at 5-2, and I might not be shocked in any respect to see one or each of them find yourself favored over McKinzie Avenue. If that does occur, after my win wager I’ll key McKinzie Avenue first and second in exacta bets with Citizen Bull (who has precocity in his bloodline as a relative to champion juvenile and Horse of the Yr Favourite Trick), Getaway Automotive (who removes blinkers Saturday), and #5 Emerald Bay.

Emerald Bay is the “different Baffert” on this race and is 6-1 on the morning line. He shall be making his stakes debut, however not like the opposite horses mentioned, he’s already gained round two turns, taking a one-mile Del Mar maiden by three lengths on Aug. 24. That got here in his second begin, following a runner-up end to McKinzie Avenue within the 5 ½-furlong dash talked about above. Baffert’s first-call rider in California, Juan Hernandez, rode Emerald Bay in that race however sticks with Getaway Automotive within the American Pharoah, and Antonio Fresu will decide up the mount on Emerald Bay.

Betting Technique on a $30 Price range:

$12 to win on McKinzie Avenue at odds of 5-2 or greater

Santa Anita Park, Race 9, $12 win on #1 ($12)

$4 exacta, key McKinzie Avenue over Citizen Bull, Emerald Bay, and Getaway Automotive

Santa Anita Park, Race 9, $4 exacta, #1 with #3, #5, and #7 ($12)

$2 exacta, key Citizen Bull, Emerald Bay, and Getaway Automotive with McKinzie Avenue

Santa Anita Park, Race 9, $2 exacta, #3, #5, and #7 with #1 ($6)

NOTE: If McKinzie Avenue is wager right down to below 5-2, I’ll change the exacta wager that keys him on prime to an $8 base wager, totaling $24.

Good luck and benefit from the race!

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