Santa Anita Saturday: Grade 1 American Pharoah The Feature

It’s Breeders’ Cup qualifying weekend all over the country, and the Grade 1 American Pharoah – an 8 ½ furlong dirt race for 2-year-olds – is part of the excitement.

This was American Pharoah’s last race as a 2-year-old, a win in the then-called “FrontRunner Stakes,” named for a restaurant at Santa Anita.  He won, of course, as he did in 9 of his 11 career races.  The race was named for him starting in 2018.  

Let’s meet the field, and put together our weekly wager.  If you’re wagering on Santa Anita, check out our partners at AmWager!  They have a $50 deposit match for new customers.

Grade 1 American Pharoah.  8 ½ furlongs, dirt.  2-year-olds.  $300,000.

1. Dang Son. 12/1.        Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo.        Trainer: Doug O’Neill.

Dang Son broke his maiden two back on the turf, which to this date is his only win.  He’s been no better than 10 lengths off the winner in both of his dirt efforts.  He’s a toss for me, but trainer Doug O’Neill has done far more with far less.

2. Hughes. 4/5.        Jockey: Juan Hernandez.        Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Hughes has been the dominant force in 2-year-old races out west in 2026, dominating all 3 of his starts. He’s a 2-time graded stakes winner already, and show no signs of slowing down.  He’s the one to beat here.

3. Net Par. 12/1.        Jockey: Victor Espinoza.        Trainer: Antonio Garcia.

A 4 time winner of this race, jockey Victor Espinoza will ride Cal-bred Net Par today.  He was aboard American Pharoah for all of his major career moments.  Net Par is a Cal-bred stakes winner, and will need to take a significant step forward to win in this spot.  I think he will go on to a solid state-bred career, but today is too much.

4. Imperial Honor. 9/5.    Jockey: Joel Rosario.            Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Imperial Honor is the second of the Baffert quartet in this race, and the most likely challenger of Hughes.  He backed up his $725,000 yearling purchase price with a flashy debut, but will need to take a step forward to compete with the more experienced Hughes.  I think he’s capable, and jockey Joel Rosario is due for some races to go his way.

5. Emancipate. 10/1.        Jockey: Mike Smith.            Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Trainer Bob Baffert decided to turn Emancipate around on 2 weeks rest after a disappointing debut, and it worked: despite a slower overall figure, he won with ease on second asking.  He’ll need to speed it up in a significant way to compete today, and while these are 2-year-olds after all is said and done, I just don’t see the evidence ahead of this race.

6. Domus. 8/1.            Jockey: Kazushi Kimura.        Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Domus was super impressive on debut, winning a front-running maiden race with ease at super fast fractions.  He was 3/1 in the Del Mar Futurity, but was bested by 16 lengths to Hughes.  I think the ask is too much today, but he appears to be a capable horse.

The Sporting Tribune Wager:

$1 Pick 4, starts Race 7 ($20): 2,4 / 2,3,4,5,9 / 5,8 / 1.    Good Luck!