Awesome Again Stakes
Race Information:
- Track: Santa Anita (Arcadia, CA)
- Event Grade: Grade I
- Race: 10
- Post Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Length: 1 1/8 Miles
- Purse: $300,000
- Division: Open | 3 Years Old & Up
- Surface: Dirt
- Wagers: $1 Exacta / $0.50 Trifecta / $2 Rolling Double 0.10 Superfecta / $ 1 Super Hi 5 Leg 1 of the $1 Golden Hour Late Pick 4
Field:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
| 1 | TIZAMAGICIAN | F. Prat | R. Mandella | 4-1 |
| 2 | MIDCOURT | E. Maldonado | J. Shirreffs | 12-1 |
| 3 | EXPRESS TRAIN | J. Hernandez | J. Shirreffs | 4-1 |
| 4 | STILLETO BOY | K. Desormeaux | E. Moger Jr. | 20-1 |
| 5 | MEDINA SPIRIT | J. Velazquez | B. Baffert | 5-2 |
| 6 | AZUL COAST | A. Cedillo | B. Baffert | 12-1 |
| 7 | TRIPOLI | J. Pereira | J. Sadler | 3-1 |
| 8 | IDOL | J. Bravo | R. Baltas | 5-1 |
Horse Preview:
TIZAMAGICIAN is 19-5-8-0 in his career and 7-3-3-0 in 2021. This 4-year-old colt has been impressive in 2021 finishing in the money in six of his seven starts. He’s coming into this race off a 2nd place finish in the G1 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes where he lost to fellow entrant TRIPOLI. This race was run at the same distance and on the same surface. An interesting note is that TRIPOLI who beat TIZAMAGICIAN is listed as a 4-1 on the morning line odds while TRIPOLI is listed at 5-1. He’s won 2 G3 Stakes this year and was a runner up in G2 Stakes. In his last out at Santa Anita he ran in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap finishing 5th, his worst finish of this year. In that race, finished behind fellow entrants IDOL (1st place) and EXPRESS TRAIN (2nd place).
MIDCOURT is a gelding who’s 17-6-3-4 in his career and 1-1-0-0 in 2021. This 6-year-old has only raced once this year and that came back in June at Santa Anita where he won an Allowance Race running a 112-speed figure. He raced in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes last year and finished 3rd. MIDCOURT has certainly had an impressive career with over $600,000 in career earnings. My only concern in this race is his limited starts this year along with his age.
EXPRESS TRAIN is 13-4-4-2 in his career and 6-2-1-2 in 2021. Thus 4-year-old colt also was an entrant in the G1 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes his last out where he ran 6th. However, that race was the only race that he’s finished outside the money this year. In his other races this year, he won the G2 San Diego Handicap and G2 San Pasqual Stakes. He also had respectable showing in the two G1 Stakes he entered, finishing 3rd in the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes and 2nd in the Santa Anita Handicap. This horse is very familiar with Santa Anita and has raced well at this track in the past.
STILLETO BOY is 9-2-2-3 in his career and 8-2-1-3 in 2021. This 3-year-old colt hasn’t had much success in his previous stakes races he’s entered, besides winning the Iowa Derby, so I don’t understand this move at all. In the only Graded Stakes he’s entered, he finished 5th in the G3 La Jolla Handicap. Given the class of horses here, I don’t see him being a factor at all. For me, this horse is a complete toss in this race.
MEDINA SPIRIT is 8-4-3-1 in his career and 7-3-3-1 in 2021. This 3-year-old colt has been at the center of the racing world since winning the Kentucky Derby and testing positive for a banned substance. In his last out, he won the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar. He was coming off a three-month layoff going into that race after finishing third in the Preakness. He’s the deserved favorite in this race but should face some tough competition.
AZUL COAST is 8-3-1-1 in his career and 2-1-0-1 in 2021. This be the second G1 Stakes that he has entered in. His first coming last year in the G1 RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby, where he finished 7th. In his most recent start, he won an AOC at Del Mar where he ran a 115-speed figure. This is an interesting horse because he has looked better in his last two outs but I’m still not sure that he’ll be competitive here.
TRIPOLI is 14-4-3-3 in his career and 6-3-1-1 in 2021. This 4-year-old colt beat out TIZAMAGICIAN and EXPRESS TRAIN in his last start to win the G1 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes. Prior to that race, he finished second in the G2 San Diego Handicap where he lost to EXPRESS TRAIN. This horse will definitely be a factor in this race and will be given an opportunity to prove himself against MEDINA SPIRIT.
IDOL is 6-3-2-1 in his career and 2-1-0-1 in 2021. The big story for this horse is that he’s coming off a seven-month layoff, running his last race back in March. In his last race, he won the G1 Santa Anita Handicap defeating TIZAMAGICIAN and EXPRESS TRAIN. His only other start this year was in the G2 San Pasqual Stakes where TIZAMAGICIAN and EXPRESS TRAIN beat him out for 1st and 2nd.
Picks:
WIN: (7) TRIPOLI
TRIFECTA BOX: 5,7/ 1,3,5,7
Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting.
