2025 Santa Anita Handicap Entries and Odds

Locked Will Take On Locals In 2025 Big 'Cap

Locked, a Grade I winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, will make the cross-country trip from Florida to Santa Anita Park where he will square-off with eight rivals in the 88th running of the Grade I, $300,000 Santa Anita Handicap for older horses going 1 ¼ miles on Saturday, March 1.

The Santa Anita Handicap is part of a blockbuster program Saturday at The Great Race Place. In addition to the historic Big 'Cap, the card will feature the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf, Grade II DK San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby trail and the GII Buena Vista for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

Locked most recently rallied to be second in the GI Pegasus World Cup at 1 1/8 miles when making his 4-year-old debut Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. Previously, the Gun Runner colt took down the GII Cigar Mile in December at Aqueduct.

As a 2-year-old, Locked won the GI Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland before a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. He will be ridden by Eastern-based jockey Jose Ortiz.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, Locked is 7: 4-1-2 with $1,481,650 in earnings.

Also shipping west for the Santa Anita Handicap is Hit Show for trainer Brad Cox. A 5-year-old horse by Candy Ride, Hit Show most recently rallied to win the GIII Louisiana Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Jan. 18. It was Hit Show's fourth graded stakes win for owner Wathnan Racing and upped his record to 16: 8-1-0 with $1,410,928 in earnings. He will have the services of last year's Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

Among the leading local hopes are the emerging Mirahmadi for trainer Bob Baffert, recent Grade II winners Katonah and J B Strikes Back for trainer Doug O'Neill, and 2022 Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train for trainer John Shirreffs.

Mirahmadi comes in off a sharp front-running, 4 ½-length allowance win going a mile at Santa Anita Jan. 4. Since that breakout victory, the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt has fired off three consecutive bullet works including a six-furlong drill in 1:11.80 on Feb. 17 and another six-furlong work in 1:12.0 on Sunday.

Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et. al, Mirahmadi is 11: 2-4-2 with $203,740 in earnings. He will have Juan Hernandez aboard.

Katonah most recently won the GII San Pasqual going 1 1/16 miles by two lengths over runner-up Express Train on Jan. 25 at Santa Anita. It was the second stakes win and first graded victory for the 6-year-old gelding by Klimt. Owned by R3 Racing, Katonah is 17: 5-3-2 with $481,180 in earnings. He will be ridden by Tiago Pereira, who was also aboard for both previous stakes wins.

J B Strikes Back was a front-running winner of the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. going 1 1/16 miles when making his stakes debut Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old gelding by Goldencents, who was claimed twice last year while still a maiden, is owned by Janie Buss' Purple Rein Racing. He is 9: 4-0-0 with $191,660 in earnings. Antonio Fresu, who was aboard in the San Pasqual, retains the mount.

Express Train finished two lengths back of Katonah when second in the San Pasqual. The 8-year-old Union Rags horse, who was sidelined 18-plus months from October 2022 to April 2024, is seeking his first win since the 2022 Big 'Cap. Express Train is 24: 7-6-5 with $1,543,800 in earnings for owner C R K Stable. Jockey Hector Berrios will ride.

MIRAHMADI AMONG 5 NOMINEES FOR GI BIG 'CAP

Five horses nominated to Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap-Mirahmadi, American Admiral, Katonah, Express Train and Tarantino-all had workouts Sunday at Santa Anita. Mirahmadi fired a bullet for trainer Bob Baffert when drilling six furlongs in 1:12.0. A 4-year-old Into Mischief colt, Mirahmadi exits a sharp front-running win by 4 ½ lengths in a one-mile allowance Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.

American Admiral, trained by Tim Yakteen, also had a bullet work. The 7-year-old gelding by American Pharoah drilled five furlongs in a swift 58.80 seconds. In his two most recent starts, American Admiral was fifth in the GII San Pasqual Jan. 25 and third in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. on Jan. 25.

Katonah worked five furlongs in 1:00.0 for trainer Doug O'Neill. Katonah won the 1 1/8-mile San Pasqual from off the pace for his second stakes victory. Express Train, who won the 2022 Big 'Cap, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds for trainer John Shirreffs. The 8-year-old horse by Union Rags was beaten two lengths by Katonah when second in the San Pasqual.

Tarantino, who was third in the San Pasqual, worked four furlongs in 49.80 seconds for trainer Peter Eurton.

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Santa Anita Handicap Day is March 1

Feb 20 - As Santa Anita Park continues to celebrate its 90th anniversary season, the famed racetrack will be the place to be on Saturday, March 1 when it hosts Santa Anita Handicap Day presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino featuring world-class Thoroughbred racing and an array of other entertainment.

In addition to the historic Big 'Cap, which was first run during Santa Anita's inaugural season in 1934, the day's festivities will include a Santa Anita vintage cap giveaway, Fiesta de Santa Anita & Family Fun Zone in the Infield, vintage motorcycle show, Mardi Gras Trackside party, handicapping tournament and a Big 'Cap Party in the plush Chandelier Room.

The 1 ¼-mile Big 'Cap for older horses will be one of four stakes on the card. Supporting the Grade I Big 'Cap are the DK Horse San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds, which is a steppingstone to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 1; Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf and Grade II Buena Vista Stakes, which is for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

The Santa Anita Handicap is a major West Coast race for older horses held at Santa Anita Park each March at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. The race has been run since 1935, when it was inaugurated carrying a purse of $100,000.

The amount was staggering for the time period and the race became known as the "Hundred-Grander." The race also earned another nickname, the "Big 'Cap," which is still used today, though the purse has grown to $1,000,000.

The Santa Anita Handicap has been won by such horses as Seabiscuit, Round Table, Ack Ack, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, John Henry (twice), Alysheba, Tiznow, Lava Man (twice), Game On Dude (three times) and Shared Belief.

Jockey Bill Shoemaker won the race an astounding 11 times and trainer Charlie Whittingham owns eight victories in the race.