Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita is a sweeping one-mile dirt track framed by the San Gabriel Mountains, and it's home to one of the most unusual configurations in the sport — the downhill turf course, where sprints start on a hillside chute, cross the main track, and produce race shapes you won't see anywhere else in North America. The main track has historically favored tactical and early speed, particularly in sprints, where getting the jump into the first turn is worth lengths.

As the anchor of Southern California's winter–spring circuit, Santa Anita cards the Santa Anita Handicap and a full slate of Kentucky Derby preps. Our handicapping angle: prioritize speed and inside draws on the dirt, and pay special attention to horses with proven form over the downhill turf — it's a specialist's course, and previous experience over that unique layout is a genuine, bettable edge.