Race Previews Santa Anita Park Preview & FREE Picks | American Oaks 2023 December 24, 2023 Anisette (Benoit Photo) Race Previews Santa Anita Park Preview & FREE Picks | American Oaks 2023 December 24, 2023 By: Curtis "Magic" Kalleward twitteremail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article Aaron previews the 2023 American Oaks (G1) from Santa Anita Park, then gives his top picks from this Opening Day event. Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section! SMASH the *Thumbs Up* ~ HIT *Subscribe* ~ RING the *Notification* bell The press release: With solid year-end credentials in hand, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Anisette seeks the biggest win of her career as heads a field of seven sophomore fillies in Tuesday’s Grade I, $300,000 American Oaks at a mile and quarter over the Santa Anta turf. Santa Anita Full Card Plays Available Now There’s a reason we’re the #1 trusted source for premium racing picks & info. Find Out Why Trained by Leonard Powell, English-bred Anisette’s only previous try at the Oaks distance came two starts back in Santa Anita’s Grade II Rodeo Drive on Oct. 7, a race in which she finished a close second. With regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard, she cut back in distance to one mile on grass Nov. 5, finishing second by 3 ¼ lengths in the Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes. A dedicated deep closer, Anisette rallied for a come-from-behind win in her one mile turf U.S. debut May 29 and she followed that up with impressive scores in both the mile turf Grade II San Clemente July 22 and the mile and one eighth Grade I Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 19. One for three in England, Anisette has three wins and a pair of seconds from her five stateside starts for Powell and will hope to be rolling late on Tuesday. Irish-bred Be Your Best is another who would prefer to have a fast pace to exploit in Tuesday’s Oaks. In her first and only assignment versus male competition, she was last of 13 for most of the trip in the Grade II Twilight Derby at a mile and one eighth on turf here Nov. 4 and came rolling on the far outside to finish eighth, beaten just 1 ¾ lengths under Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rides her back. A well beaten ninth in her only try at a mile and one quarter four starts back in the Belmont Oaks Invitational July 8, she shipped west to finish second, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Anisette in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks Aug. 19. Trained by Horacio De Paz and owned by Michael Ryan, Be Your Best is 10-2-2-1 overall with earnings of $284,250. THE GRADE I AMERICAN OAKS AT SANTA ANITA PARK, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER Race 5 of 11 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT Khinjani—Lanfranco Dettori—124 Anisette—Umberto Rispoli—124 Grace Period—Jose Lezcano—124 Elounda Queen—Juan Hernandez—124 Sakura Flavor—Antonio Fresu—124 Be Your Best—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—124 Musical Mischief—Flavien Prat—124 Join the Inner Circle Sign up for exclusive 10% discount on orders, plus be the first to access our daily free and premium horse racing picks, articles, podcasts, and more! Sign Up
Preakness Stakes 149 and Black-Eyed Susan Picks | Blinkers Off 667 The Racing Dudes preview and give picks for Saturday’s $2… Read More
Preakness Pick 5 Preview | The Magic Mike Show 548 The Magic Mike Show guys preview & give their tickets… Read More
Preakness Stakes, NHL & NBA Playoff Picks | Dudes Who Bet Sports 192 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the 149th… Read More
Kentucky Derby 2024 Recap, Preakness Probables, & Rapid-Fire Picks | Blinkers Off 666 The Racing Dudes recap Mystik Dan winning the 2024 Kentucky… Read More
Belmont At The Big A Pick 5 Preview | The Magic Mike Show 547 The Magic Mike Show guys preview & give their tickets… Read More
Preakness Stakes 2024 Replay | Seize The Grey Wins All The Way The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Seize the Grey won the 2024… Read More
Rocket Picks 🚀: Gulfstream Park, Churchill Downs, & Belmont at the Big A for May 19, 2024 Let’s kick off another big Saturday with the Racing Dudes… Read More
Santa Anita Park Picks | Desert Code Stakes 2024 Since arriving from Ireland last fall, King of Gosford is… Read More
Belmont At The Big A Picks | Paradise Creek Stakes 2024 Irish-bred Sketch and returning jockey Flavien Prat will look to… Read More
Woodbine Picks | King Corrie Stakes 2024 My Boy Prince, Canada’s champion 2-year-old Male, makes his return… Read More