The Runaway Horse

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Santa Anita Park Stakes Analysis (9-27-26)

Santa Anita Park has two important stakes races on Sunday, September 27, with both races carrying potential Breeders’ Cup implications.

The Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship is a six-furlong test for three-year-olds and up and serves as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Later on the card, the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes offers a route to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The past-performance information and speed figures discussed below are provided by Today’s Racing Digest and its Complete Digest product.

Race 4 – Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship carries a $200,000 purse and drew a compact field of five runners for six furlongs on the main track.

#1 Listenupshance (2-1)

Listenupshance enters off a strong Grade 1 victory at Del Mar at six furlongs, where he defeated Maximum Bourbon.

He has been extremely consistent in dirt sprints, with three wins, three seconds and two thirds from nine starts. He also owns strong speed and pace figures, including back-to-back 100 Fire Numbers.

Breaking from the rail, Listenupshance figures to be forwardly placed for the productive Emisael Jaramillo and Doug O’Neill team.

The main question is whether he can turn his recent success into another graded-stakes victory while dealing with a different post-position scenario.

#2 Imagination (5-2)

Imagination won this race last year and has already proven that he belongs at this level.

However, his recent form has been less encouraging. He has finished fourth twice and was ninth in his most recent start going a mile.

The cutback to six furlongs could help. His 144 Final Time Rating when winning this race last year demonstrates that he is capable of running fast enough to compete with this group.

Juan Hernandez takes the mount, and Imagination figures to rally from just off the pace.

#3 Ahrens (8-1)

Ahrens is a lightly raced three-year-old who has won his last two starts, including a six-furlong victory at Santa Anita.

His Final Time Ratings have improved from 135 to 138, suggesting that he may still have room to develop.

The challenge is significant, however, as he steps up against older and more accomplished competition. He also loses Lasix for this race.

Oklahoma Derby 2026 Video Picks (9-27-26)

Video analysis of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

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Saturday, September 26, 2026

Goodwood Stakes 2026 Analysis (9-26-26)

The Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park is the featured race on Saturday, September 26. The $300,000 event is for three-year-olds and up and will be contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

With a competitive field that includes several proven stakes performers, the race flow could play a major role in determining the outcome. Here is a look at the field and the key Today’s Racing Digest numbers.

Goodwood Stakes Field

1. Taif (8-1)

Taif is trained by Bob Baffert and will have Emisael Jaramillo aboard for the first time. The five-year-old has made only three career starts, all in maiden company, with a win and two runner-up finishes.

He graduated at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in his most recent start and now faces a significant class test while switching back to the main track. He did post a bullet workout at Santa Anita on September 19, but he’ll need to run considerably faster to compete with this group.

2. Vodka Vodka (15-1)

Kent Desormeaux returns aboard Vodka Vodka for trainer Aggie Ordonez. The horse has one runner-up finish in four starts at Santa Anita, that coming in the Grade 1 Big Cap earlier this year.

His most recent start was the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at seven furlongs, where he stumbled at the start and finished seventh. That effort can be forgiven, particularly because it came off a layoff and at a shorter distance.

His previous two dirt-route efforts in stakes company were much stronger, including a 140 final-time rating when he finished second in the Big Cap and a 143 when he won a stakes race at 1 1/8 miles at Sunland Park in April.

At 15-1, he could be worth considering underneath.

3. McAfee (15-1)

McAfee is trained by George Weaver and will be ridden by Hector Berrios. He was cross-entered in the Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, but the connections are expected to run here.

He enters off a six-length victory in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga. He also recorded a bullet workout on September 19.

The concern is class. He has struggled to win several stakes races in the past, although he has hit the board in some of them. He does have five starts at this distance, with one win, two seconds and a third.

He has early-pressing versatility and could track the pace, but he’ll need another step forward.

4. Original Sin (6-1)

Original Sin has four wins from 10 starts and has been particularly effective this year, winning three of six starts.

He was second in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic last time out, rallying from well back. The pace helped him considerably that day, however, with fractions of 45.40 seconds and 1:10.00 for the first six furlongs.

The cutback to 1 1/8 miles should suit him. He’s two-for-two at the distance and won the Grade 3 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs at this trip, earning a 144 final-time rating.

The question is whether new rider Kazushi Kimura can keep him closer to the pace.