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Derby preps · G1·Early April

Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Derby

1 1/8 miles on Dirt at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA. $750K total · $450K to winner.

Distance

1 1/8 miles

Surface

Dirt

Eligibility

3yo only

Grade

G1

Track

Santa Anita Park

Location

Arcadia, CA

When

Early April

About the race

The west coast's premier Derby prep. The race has produced champions including Affirmed, Alysheba, Sunday Silence, A.P. Indy, and Justify.

Race history

First run in 1935. The signature 3-year-old prep on the SoCal circuit. Bob Baffert has dominated this race in the modern era. Worth 100 Road-to-the-Derby points to the winner. Recent Derby winners who came through here include Justify (2018), American Pharoah (2015), and I'll Have Another (2012).

Betting trends

What sharps watch for

  • 01

    Baffert-trained horses have an outsized hit rate. The track-and-barn synergy is real.

  • 02

    The Santa Anita main track tends to favor pressers and stalkers over pure speed or deep closers.

  • 03

    The race is a strong Derby predictor when run on a fast track. Off tracks distort the form less reliably.

Recent winners

Last 5 editions

YearWinnerOdds
2024Stronghold
2023Practical Move
2022Taiba
2021Rock Your World
2020Authentic

Where to bet the Santa Anita Derby

US pari-mutuel wagering happens through licensed operators. TVG (FanDuel-owned) and TwinSpires (Churchill Downs) are the two largest dedicated US racing platforms; both ship win/place/show plus the full exotic ladder (exacta, trifecta, superfecta, daily double, Pick 3/4/6) at the Santa Anita Park meeting.

Other Derby preps

Bet responsibly · 21+ · 1-800-GAMBLER