San Luis Rey Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Picks

Following his win in last month’s GIII San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, Missed the Cut looks to stay perfect on the young season in Saturday’s 1 1/2-mile GIII, $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

First post time for a nine-race card will be 1 p.m.. Admission gates will open at 11 a.m

Louisiana Derby 2024 Betting Bible

Get the 2024 Louisiana Derby Betting Bible, featuring our EXACT race-by-race wagering plans at Fair Grounds on March 23, 2024!

BONUS: Get Jeff Ruby Steaks bets, too!

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Trained by John Sadler, Missed the Cut earned a handy 1 1/4-length win as the favorite in the Feb. 10 San Marcos. Missed the Cut saved ground while in mid-pack under Joel Rosario before slipping through on the rail at the top of the stretch and kicking clear. The San Marcos runner-up, Planetario, and third-place finisher Balladeer, who set the pace, are also back in the San Luis Rey.

Missed the Cut, a 5-year-old full horse by Quality Road, is a graded stakes winner on both turf and dirt. Last year, he won the GIII Tokyo City at 1 ½ miles on dirt at Santa Anita prior to a last-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 4.

Missed the Cut started his career in Europe where he was a stakes winner on turf. He arrived in Sadler’s barn last spring and is campaigned by Bee Zee LLC, Lane’s End Racing, St. Elias Stables, Edward P. Babington, Edward J. Hudson Jr. and Lynne Hudson.

Missed the Cut has a career mark is 6-2-0 in 14 starts with $385,777 in earnings. With Rosario set to ride at Fair Grounds Saturday, jockey Antonio Fresu will be aboard for the first time.

Last year’s San Luis Rey winner, Offlee Naughty, returns from a 5 1/2-month layoff for trainer Michael McCarthy. The 6-year-old full horse ended last year with consecutive off-the-board finishes in the GII Del Mar Handicap in September and GII John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita in October.

Last spring at Santa Anita, Offlee Naughty won the GII Charles Whittingham at 1 ¼ miles prior to the San Luis Rey. He will have Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez in the irons for the first time. Owned by James M. Daniell and Donna Daniell, Offlee Naughty is 5-2-1- in 20 starts with $391,645 in earnings.

Planetario was last early in the San Marcos before rallying to get second behind Missed the Cut. That was his first start since Nov. 24 when he won the 1 ½ mile GII Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, long-winded Planetario’s other graded stakes win came in the about 1 ¾-mile GIII San Juan Capistrano here in June.

Bred in Brazil, Planetario is a 6-year-old horse by Il Doge. He was a multiple Group I winner on turf in his native country before being imported in the spring of 2022. Owned and bred by Red Rafa Stud Inc., Planetario is 7-2-0 in 16 starts with $286,548 in earnings.

Regular rider Hector Berrios will be aboard Planetario.

Balladeer is the likely pacesetter once again for trainer George Papaprodromou. The 5-year-old full horse by Distorted Humor has proven more than capable winning on front-end at a marathon distance as evidenced by his victory here in the 1 1/4-mile GII John Henry Turf Championship here Oct. 1.

Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza, who has been aboard for Balladeer’s last four starts including the John Henry win, again has the call Saturday. Balladeer is 4-2-2 in 21 starts with $425,290 in earnings for owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran.

THE $100,000 GRADE III SAN LUIS REY AT SANTA ANITA, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 | Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Resultant—Santiago Gonzalez—120
2. Offlee Naughty—Juan Hernandez—124
3. Balladeer—Victor Espinoza—124
4. Missed the Cut—Juan Hernandez—124
5. Planetario—Hector Berrios—124