The Southern California segment of the Road to the Kentucky Derby finishes Saturday, April 6 with the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1)! A nine-furlong dirt race, it not only has a huge purse but also offers 100-50-25-15-10 Road to the Kentucky Derby points for the top five finishers. This means that if a Kentucky Derby-eligible horse runs first or even second, they will likely run in Louisville!
Note that a horse has to be eligible for the Kentucky Derby, or else the points are forfeited. This is worth noting in California, particularly, since Bob Baffert has live contenders. However, Baffert’s runners are eligible for the money and may end up running in other races like the Preakness or Belmont, so make sure to consider the entire field.
The Santa Anita Derby is perennially one of the most important prep races for the Kentucky Derby. Ten winners so far have gone on to win the run for the roses as well. That total includes a pair of Triple Crown winners, Affirmed (1978) and Justify (2019). In addition, other stars like California Chrome (2014) and I’ll Have Another (2012) have won both races, meaning it has a lot of relevancy in the modern landscape.
If you ever bet horse racing online, this is an exciting race you cannot miss, so keep reading to find out the best bets and the best places to play the race from anywhere!
2024 Santa Anita Derby Contenders
These are the eight contenders for the 2024 Santa Anita Derby including their trainers, jockeys, post positions, and morning lines:
- Curlin’s Kaos (Antonio Garcia / Diego Herrera) - 20/1
- Tapalo (John Sadler / Umberto Rispoli) - 5/1
- Stronghold (Phil D’Amato / Antonio Fresu) - 5/2
- Imagination (Bob Baffert / Frankie Dettori) - 8/5
- Wynstock (Bob Baffert / Juna Hernandez) - 8/1
- Tessuto (George Papaprodromou / Kazushi Kimura) - 10/1
- Mc Vay (John Shirreffs / Hector Berrios) - 5/1
- E J Won the Cup (Doug O’Neill / Mike Smith) - 15/1
Don’t forget that the morning line is just the track’s estimate for odds on each horse. They can be a guide to who is expected to be hot or cold among players, but they are not a guaranteed price. On-track odds are based on all betting action, and therefore fluctuate all the way until post time.
Your best bet is to play the Santa Anita Derby from a trusted online sportsbook. By betting online, you can lock in the best price on major sports and racing events just by placing your bet! This means you don’t have to worry about late shifts in odds, and you can watch the race confident that you are getting the best price.
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imagination | +160 | +160 | +160 |
| Stronghold | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Tapalo | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Mc Vay | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Wynstock | +800 | +800 | +800 |
Betting the Santa Anita Derby Online
There are many options for betting horse racing online, and choosing the right one can seem like a difficult task. But, our expert betting site reviews are here to make that decision easy! All of the sites we recommend have the basics of a great betting experience: intuitive user interfaces, trusted deposits and cash-outs, and real Las Vegas odds.
Our experts also show you the best online betting bonuses for all different betting styles. Since each site offers different bonus structures, taking a few minutes now to find the best one for you means you can make hundreds or even thousands of extra dollars for your bankroll through deposit and sign-up bonuses, rebates, and referral benefits.
Here are the sportsbooks that can help give you the most profitable Santa Anita Derby betting experience!
Santa Anita Derby Handicapping
Now that you know where you plan to bet horse racing online, let’s get to know the horses to make sure to include in your Santa Anita Derby bets:
Santa Anita Derby Contenders
Imagination will be the favorite in the Santa Anita Derby, as the “A” contender for trainer Bob Baffert. It makes sense. He beat a substandard field in the San Felipe, outgaming Wine Me Up, a stablemate who does not show up in this. Two back, in perhaps a better showing of his quality, he missed by only a neck to his heralded stablemate Maymun. He should stalk the pace and be involved from start to finish.
The more interesting win contender from a betting perspective is John Sadler trainee Tapalo. The only horse in the field who has tried 1 ⅛ miles, he was second behind synthetic-track dynamo Endlessly in the El Camino Real Derby. He has won on the Santa Anita dirt, however, and has both the tactical gear and the sharp early speed to get a spot and keep running on at a square price.
Santa Anita Derby Exotic Horses
Stronghold beat softer company in the Sunland Park Derby (G3), but has found the money in both of his graded-stakes attempts in Southern California, too. He has the early speed to get the right trip on a big day at Santa Anita (which can often favor speed), and though he will probably find a horse too good once again, his consistency should get him a share underneath (and, probably, a trip to the Run for the Roses).
Wynstock is the second-string entrant from the Bob Baffert barn. He comes out of a poor effort in the Southwest (G3), but that came over a wet track. He returns to dry footing for this race. At his best he has the speed to make or at least be close to the top for this, which should put him in the frame, especially since he showed in the Los Alamitos Derby (G2) that he doesn’t wither when challenged on a good day.
Santa Anita Derby Best Bets
It’s time for the most fun part of all: placing your bet for the Santa Anita Derby. These are the expert best bets for the race:
- $20 to win - #2 Tapalo
- $1 exacta - #2 Tapalo and #4 Imagination over #3 Stronghold
- $0.50 trifecta key - #2 Tapalo with #3 Stronghold, #4 Imagination, #5 Wynstock
- $0.20 superfecta key - #2 Tapalo with #3 Stronghold, #4 Imagination, #5 Wynstock
