The Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park returns to the racing calendar on Monday after originally being scheduled for June 11. A power outage interrupted racing midway through the card last week, forcing officials to cancel the remaining races, including the Affirmed Stakes. With Santa Anita adding an extra day of racing, the race has been brought back with a slightly altered field.
One notable addition is Litmus Test, who was not entered in the original version of the race. His presence adds a new dimension to the handicapping puzzle and gives bettors a proven graded stakes performer to consider.
Court of Appeal Faces Class Challenge
Court of Appeal enters as a 30-1 outsider for trainer Vladimir Cerin. A two-time winner from six starts, the gelding scored in a maiden claiming race at Churchill Downs and later picked up a sprint victory at Turf Paradise.
While the return to dirt should help, he faces a substantial class hike against much tougher competition. His pedigree suggests he should handle the distance, but this appears to be a demanding assignment.
Litmus Test Gets Class Relief
Litmus Test was originally entered in the Delaware Derby before trainer Bob Baffert redirected him to this race after the schedule change. The 7-5 morning-line favorite owns the strongest resume in the field.
The colt captured the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity and finished third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes earlier this year. While his efforts in the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby were disappointing, the drop from Grade 1 company into a listed stakes event represents significant class relief.
A forwardly placed trip from post two could put him in an ideal position throughout.
Read more at Today's Racing Digest
