Amazombie and The Factor set to Duel at San Carlos Stakes

Las Vegas, NV -- The Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, February 25th from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. $200,000 is on the line for Four-Year-Olds and Upward on Santa Anita's main dirt track. A small but impressive field of six will go seven furlongs in hopes of bringing home the title of San Carlos victor.

The field is headed by Amazombie, the 2011 Eclipse Award winner for Male Sprinter, and two-time Grade 1 Stakes winner The Factor. The rest figure to be playing catch-up to the two horses widely considered the class of the small field. The San Carlos is the seventh race on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule with a post time of 3:36 PM PST.

Below is a breakdown of the six entries and what they have done lately.

The Favorites:

Amazombie - won the Ancient Title Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs, Potrero Grande Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita, Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes at Santa Anita and Tiznow Stakes at Hollywood Park - a terrific year for trainer Bill Spawr. He is a ten-time winner but may have some trouble over this rather unfamiliar distance - the only time recently at seven furlongs resulted in a third place finish at the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap in July.

San Carlos Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com

The Factor - is a two-time graded stakes winner coming off an impressive win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26th. Before that however was a disappointing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in November. The Bob Baffert trained The Factor has gone up against Amazombie in the past, finishing fourth at the Ancient Title Stakes at Santa Anita in a race that Amazombie won. The Factor is undefeated at seven furlongs - the Malibu Stakes, the Pat O'Brien Stakes and the San Vicente Stakes wins were all over that distance.

The Others:

Mensa Heat - is a two-time stakes winner and is another that has fared better than the favorite Amazombie at this distance. Mensa Heat was third in the Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita last time out in January 21st and before that won the On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park in December.

Rothko - had quite a streak going (three sprint victories at Saratoga, Monmouth Park and Churchill Downs) before an impressive second place finish in his stakes debut - the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on December 26th.

Canonize - this six year old only has 11 career starts with four wins - the latest win being an Allowance race on February 3rd at Santa Anita.

Sway Away - is a former Triple Crown contender that finished 12th in the Preakness Stakes last year. Before taking a long time off, Sway Away won an Allowance at Hollywood Park in June.

The San Carlos Stakes is Race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:36 PM PT.