Strub Stakes at Santa Anita - $200,000 (G2)

Las Vegas, NV -- The Grade 2 Strub Stakes comes our way from beautiful Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on Saturday, February 4th 2012. A field of eight horses will be chasing the $200,000 purse over 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita's main dirt track. Four-year-olds will be featured in the last of the three Grade 2 races on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. The Strub is the 8th race with a post time of 4:07 PM PST.

Strub Stakes horse race betting from Santa Anita at Off Track Betting

The Strub Stakes is a prep race for the Santa Anita Handicap that comes our way March 3rd. It features the first, second and third place finishers at the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes that took place at Santa Anita on January 14th. In this race, two entries figure to duke it out for top spot - highly regarded Tapizar and Michael Pender trained Ultimate Eagle.

The Favorites:

Tapizar - Tapizar was a serious Triple Crown Contender last year before a knee chip all-but-ended his three-year-old aspirations. Still, Tapizar has to be the overwhelming favorite in the Strub after an impressive win at the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes on this same track on January 14th. The only question is distance - the only time that Tapizar has raced 1 1/8 mile was a fifth place finish at the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in November. However, the San Fernando was contested over a similar 1 mile.

Ultimate Eagle - Ultimate Eagle debuts on dirt on Saturday but holds surprising wins in the Grade 3 Oak Tree Derby and the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November. Last time out, Ultimate Eagle finished second in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26th. Ultimate Eagle figures to be Tapizar's only real challenge in this race despite only racing on synthetic surfaces.

The Others:

Prayer for Relief - Bob Baffert trained Payer for Relief most recently finished third in the San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita but holds wins at the Grade 3 Iowa Derby, the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby and the Grade 2 Super Derby.

Jaycito - Another Bob Baffert trained entry; Jaycito is making a comeback after injury and breathing issues. Recently, Jaycito finished second at the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita back in March and finished fifth at an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Del Mar. Jaycito hasn't been seen in a while and is in tough in this race.

Clubhouse Ride - Clubhouse Ride has shown well in some fairly big races as of late - a second place finish in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on January 15th and a third place finish in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity on December 18th. Clubhouse Ride could surprise.

Beer Meister - most recently won the Luke Kruytbosch Stakes at Turf Paradise on December 31st. Prior to that it was a seventh at the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in May. Beer Meister looks to be outclassed in the Strub.

Balladry - most recently finished second to Tapizar at the San Fernando Stakes on January 14th.

Indian Winter - The longest shot in the Strub Stakes has a 4th in an Allowance Optional Claiming Race at Santa Anita on December 31st and a 3rd in an Allowance at Hollywood Park on November 27th.

The Strub Stakes is Race 8 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:07 PM PST.