2017 Sham Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G3 Sham Stakes will be run this Saturday, January 7 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A group of three year olds will chase the winner's share of the $100,000 purse when they saddle up and go one mile on Santa Anita's dirt track.

A field of seven will give it a go in the Sham Stakes - race 7 on Santa Anita's busy Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:30 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all seven entries for this intriguing G3 stakes.

2017 Sham Stakes Entries at Santa Anita Park

Gormley - John Shirreffs trained colt will hit the track for the fourth time Saturday. His first start resulted in a nice win by 4 1/4 lengths at Del Mar September 4 and his second was a terrific wire-to-wire three length win in the G1 FrontRunner Stakes on this track October 1. Last time out was a slight step back - a seventh as third choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on this track in November. Gormley looks for a strong bounce back and for his second career graded stakes score. Victor Espinoza gets the call from post 5.

American Anthem - highly regarded colt will hit the track for just the second time for trainer Bob Baffert. His only start was an impressive one - a maiden score against 11 others at Del Mar December 3. American Anthem will try to build on that nice effort Saturday when he leaves from the rail with Mike Smith aboard.

Bet Santa Anita Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Term Of Art - Doug O'Neill trained colt ahs placed in four of five career starts - two wins, a second and a third place finish. He enters off a career-best effort - a win in the G3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 27 which followed a ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a maiden score on this track October 8. Term Of Art has been competitive so far and hopes for a second straight graded stakes score Saturday. Joe Talamo has been tabbed to ride in Term Of Art's first start on dirt - from gate 2.

Colonel Samsen - Eoin Harty trained gelding has six career starts with two wins, a second and a third place finish. He enters on a nice two race win streak - the minor Gold Rush Stakes last time out at Golden Gate December 3 and a maiden score at Del Mar November 13. He failed to place in his previous two however - a tenth in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes October 10 followed a fourth in a MSW October 1 - both on this track. Colonel Samsen arrives in career best form for his graded stakes debut and hopes to make it here straight wins overall with Flavien Prat in the irons from gate 4.

Big Hit - Phil D'Amato trained colt has three career starts with just one win to show for it. That win came last time out in a MSW at Del Mar November 19 which followed a sixth and a seventh respectively in similar races to start his career. Big Hit wasn't all that impressive before last time out and hopes to make it two straight wins in his stakes debut. Santiago Gonzalez has the mount from gate 6.

Blabimir - has one win in his three career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - that coming in quick fashion last time out at Los Alamitos December 9. He started his career with a fifth on this track October 1 and a DNF also here November 6. Blabimir steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday off a career-best effort although his form wasn't great before that. Mario Gutierrez will be in the saddle from the outside post 7.

Bird Is the Word - GF Almeida trained colt has a second and a third place finish in his five career starts and makes his stakes debut Saturday. Last time out was a second in MSW at Del Mar December 4 which followed an eighth, a seventh, a third and a fourth in a quartet of MSW races to start his career. Bird Is the Word steps up and searching for his first career victory and looks as though he will be in over his head when he departs from post 3 with Gonzalo Gabriel Ulloa Perez guiding him.

2017 Sham Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:30 PM.