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FanDuel Sportsbook Promos 2024 California Crown Stakes Preview
Saturday, September 28, is the final round of major West Coast preps for the Breeders’ Cup, and the flagship race of the day is the Grade 1, $1 million California Crown. The 1 ⅛-mile dirt race used to be called the Awesome Again Stakes, but its name has been changed as of this year. Just like the Awesome Again, it offers its winner an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. However, with the name change comes a big purse hike: this race paid $300,000 last year, but now its purse has more than tripled.
California Crown day at Santa Anita Park consists of five stakes, four of them graded. In addition to this race for the handicap division, there is the John Henry Turf Championship (G2) for older horses going long on the grass, the Eddie D (G2) for open-company turf sprinters, the City of Hope Mile (G2) for open-company turf milers, and the Unzip Me for sophomore turf sprint fillies.
Two Breeders’ Cup winners have come out of this race to win the Classic in recent years: Mucho Macho Man won in 2013, while Accelerate swept the pair in 2018. Other stars to win this race during its history include Lord at War (1984-1985), Ferdinand (1987), Silver Charm (1998), Tiznow (2000), Pleasantly Perfect (2002-2003), and California Chrome (2016).
California Crown Stakes Information
- Race Date: Saturday, September 28
- Track: Santa Anita
- Post Time: 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
- Distance: one and one-eighth miles on the dirt
- Age/Sex: three-year-olds and upward
- Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
- Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing
2024 California Crown Draw and Odds
These are the seven entrants in the 2024 California Crown, along with their trainers, jockeys, post positions, and morning-line odds.
Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newgate | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez | 6-1 |
| 2 | Subsanador | Richard Mandella | Mike Smith | 5-1 |
| 3 | National Treasure | Bob Baffert | Flavien Prat | 8-5 |
| 4 | Katonah | Doug O’Neill | Tiago Pereira | 15-1 |
| 5 | Muth | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | 2-1 |
| 6 | Senor Buscador | Todd Fincher | Joe Talamo | 6-1 |
| 7 | Indispensable | John Sadler | Hector Berrios | 20-1 |
California Crown Prep Race Results
The seven runners in the California Crown come out of six different races. The only one with two last-out runners is the Shared Belief, a three-year-old stakes race going a mile at Del Mar. Muth won it by two lengths in stalk-and-pounce fashion, while Indispensable chased on for second.
Three runners come out of off-the-board finishes at the top level. National Treasure will try to rebound off of a sixth in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, Katonah was last seen running seventh in the Pacific Classic (G1), and Newgate has freshened up since finishing ninth in the Dubai World Cup (G1) back in March.
Subsanador, the only horse coming into the California Crown off of a graded-stakes win, most recently won the Iselin (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt at Monmouth. Senor Buscador, who ran fourth in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien (G2) last out, stretches back out to a more typical distance for this.
California Crown Stakes Contenders
These are the nine runners in the 2024 California Crown, in order of post position.
- Newgate: One of three entrants for trainer Bob Baffert, he broke through at the top level two starts ago in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) back in March but could not repeat that performance in the Middle East, finishing a well-beaten ninth to Laurel River in the Dubai World Cup. The return to Santa Anita should be good for Newgate, as he has never been out of the exacta in five local starts, and his only try at 1 ⅛ miles yielded a solid second-place finish earlier this year. He has tactical speed, can handle the rail well, and can fire well fresh.
- Subsanador: It took him a few starts to settle in after moving from Argentina to the United States, but he tallied his first American win last out at Monmouth, taking a Grade 3 event. He is a Group 2 winner in Argentina in his only 1 ⅛-mile try, and his American form suggests that he is both tactical and good enough to make good account in this kind of a spot. Trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Mike Smith are also red-hot together: they haven’t united much, but have three wins and another in-the-money finish in just five starts over the last two months.
- National Treasure: Last year’s Preakness winner hasn’t been the most consistent horse: when he’s good, he’s good, but he came up empty as the odds-on favorite in the Whitney last out. However, that came over a muddy track, and he has underperformed in all three off-track starts. The track should come up dry for the California Crown, however. It’s another concern that he is winless in five starts at Santa Anita, but he has hit the board three times, including in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last year, so he can run well enough against good horses to get a share over this course, at least.
- Katonah: He came back from a yearlong lay for trainer Doug O’Neill to finish a close second in the San Diego Handicap (G3) two starts back. The 1 ¼-mile distance of the Pacific Classic was too long for him, so cutting back to this distance could help him improve. He has tactical speed and good back form at Santa Anita, as well. This is a deeper field than the San Diego and he may find someone too good, but he would be no surprise to be live as a price for exotics.
- Muth: He looked like one of the better three-year-olds heading into the Triple Crown season, though he didn’t actually make it to any of the Classics between the Baffert Kentucky Derby ban and issues leading into the Preakness. He looked like himself when he returned in the Shared Belief at Del Mar last month, however. He drew well for his stalking style, he has never run a bad race, and if he can take a modest step forward second off the layoff, he is a win contender.
- Senor Buscador: With the Pat O’Brien being only seven furlongs, that was never going to be anything but a tightener for a longer race. He has the class to be a factor here, as he won the Saudi Cup (G1) and hit the board in both the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup this year. The question for him is pace. He is a confirmed closer, but there isn’t a likely pace collapse and Santa Anita tends to be so speed-friendly that Senor Buscador often finds himself compromised.
- Indispensable: It took this son of Constitution nine tries to break his maiden for trainer John Sadler, but he jumped right into the deep end off that maiden win and finished a good second to Muth in the Shared Belief. He ran well enough in a pair of 1 ⅛-mile grass maidens to think the distance won’t hurt him, though he still may find himself pace compromised as a late runner, and has not yet run a race fast enough to be a serious win contender.
California Crown FAQ
Q: When and where is the California Crown?
A: The California Crown happens on Saturday, September 28 at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This Breeders’ Cup Classic prep race is carded as the ninth of ten on California Crown day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the California Crown?
A: Trainer Bob Baffert has a dominant eight wins in the Awesome Again, the race now known as the California Crown. His first was Silver Charm back in 1998. Although his next did not come until 2010 with Richard’s Kid, he has ruled over the race in recent years, winning seven of the last 14 editions. He entered three this year: Muth, National Treasure, and Newgate.
Q: Who is the favorite for the California Crown?
A: The 8-5 morning-line favorite for the California Crown is National Treasure, for trainer Bob Baffert. Baffert also trains 2-1 morning-line second choice Muth, though National Treasure’s experience against older horses will probably be enough to make him keep favoritism up until post time.
Q: Who is the best California Crown jockey?
A: Gary Stevens leads all jockeys with five wins in the California Crown between 1998 and 2013. However, he is retired. Among jockeys competing in this year’s edition of the race, Mike Smith leads with two wins, with Tiago in 2007 and Shared Belief in 2014. He can make it three if he guides Subsanador to victory.
Q: Who won the Awesome Again in 2023?
A: Slow Down Andy won the 2023 edition of the Awesome Again, the race now known as the California Crown, for trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. Gutierrez does not have a call this year, but O’Neill sends out Katonah with Tiago Pereira in the irons.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.
