Santa Anita Park Racing Picks: Robert B. Lewis Day, 2/1/25

The Road to the Kentucky Derby goes back to Santa Anita Park on Saturday, February 1, for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, a $200,000 dirt mile that offers 20 qualifying points to the winner. The racing world will watch the Lewis intently, since it features the return of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and champion two-year-old Citizen Bull. It also provides an early look at horses who may make noise through the rest of Santa Anita’s points races, including the San Felipe (G2) on March 1 and the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5.

There are four graded stakes on tap at Santa Anita for Saturday. In addition to the Lewis, there is also the Santa Monica (G2) for filly and mare dirt sprinters, the Thunder Road (G3) for older turf milers, and the Megahertz (G3) for turf mile fillies and mares. The first race of the day gets underway at noon Pacific. With quality horses in action all day long at Santa Anita and across the country, make sure to watch all day at FanDuel TV and bet the races at FanDuel.

Don’t forget to check the program and the weather before placing your bets on Saturday. The forecast calls for dry and pleasant weather all weekend, though if a storm comes in or a horse is scratched for another reason, it’s always good to know and then shift your wagers accordingly.

Santa Anita Park Picks

Race 4 - Robert B. Lewis (G3), one mile on the dirt - Citizen Bull, Madaket Road

FanDuel odds: 6-5 and 5-2

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The horse to beat in this Kentucky Derby prep is juvenile champion Citizen Bull (6-5), who makes his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He has set the pace in both his graded-stakes wins, but his maiden win in the summer at Del Mar showed an ability to press the pace. That could come in handy given the early speed that Rodriguez, Clock Tower, and even sometimes Valentines Candy have shown. If he comes back the same horse after a three-month break, and his development has kept up with his class, he will be tough to beat.

The most interesting alternative is the third-string Baffert, rail-drawn Madaket Road (5-2). In a short field at Santa Anita, you need to be close to the pace, which Madaket Road can do, but he is the least likely of the five to actually get embroiled in a fight up front. He has tracked in close range in both of his starts so far, which could be an advantageous running style. Two turns is a question, but Baffert shines when stretching horses out to a mile or more for the first time, and even though the Classic distances may be a stretch, the flat mile should be well within his abilities.

Race 5 - Allowance optional claiming, 6 ½ furlongs on the downhill turf - Duly Noted, Miss Monarch Bay

FanDuel odds: 12-1, 20-1

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This is an oversubscribed field, twelve in the main group and two more on the also-eligible list. With a deep and talented group lining up, this is the perfect place to look for some long shots, and two live ones jump out.

It's always good to find a sneaky condition book horse, and they rarely get sneakier than Duly Noted (12-1). This is a first-level open allowance, and there are plenty of horses who either have one win, or a few wins against state-breds. This one, however, has a maiden win, two open allowance wins, and a state-bred stakes win. The open allowance wins both sneak under the purse limit, which qualifies her for the race without the tag. The questions are class and turf, as she ships south from Pleasanton and has never tried grass. But, she has lawn on both sides of her pedigree and her win on Tapeta builds confidence. Tim McCanna has had a solid meet so far, and this filly could come running late at a price to make his meet even better.

Milers who can finish with a flourish can often find their home on Santa Anita's hill, and outside closing trips can be advantageous. Miss Monarch Bay (20-1) has both of these things going for her. The question is, of course, the layoff: she has not raced in about 14 months. But, she has been a regular on the work tab since November and trainer Michael McCarthy does well with horses coming in off of an extended layoff. He keeps this pricey daughter of Into Mischief in protected company, suggesting he has confidence in bringing her back, and a clean outside trip down the hill could be the perfect jumping-off point for her five-year-old campaign

Race 8 - Thunder Road (G3), one mile on the turf - Packs a Wahlop, El Potente

FanDuel odds: 10-1 and 7-2

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John Sadler and Hronis Racing made their names claiming or privately purchasing horses, often older horses, and bringing them to new career highs. It looks like they're trying to do just this with Packs a Wahlop (10-1), a horse with some back class but recent futility. Futility is relative, as he does have some close calls in allowance company through the summer and fall. But, with a new trainer, tactical speed, and a switch to excellent west-coast turf rider Antonio Fresu, this one may find a way to pack a wallop once again.

The one he'll most likely have to topple is El Potente (7-2), who has hit the board in his last nine outings for red-hot trainer Dan Blacker. That includes five wins in that time, climbing from the maiden claiming ranks through starters and into straight allowances, including last out in a second-level race over course and distance. He still has to break through at stakes level, but his usual day at the office stacks up well against this company.

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