Santa Anita Derby 2024 Picks

By Jarrod Horak

The road to Kentucky Derby 2024 continues at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, April 6, and I have included Santa Anita Derby 2024 picks below. The Grade 1 event for 3-year-olds has a $750,000 purse and the eight entrants will be journeying 1 1/8 miles on the main track. The Santa Anita Derby is the 10th race on April 6 and the top five finishers will earn Kentucky Derby points (100-50-25-15-10). 

Santa Anita Derby 2024 Picks & Final Time Ratings

Tapalo was part of the trifecta in his last four starts. He stretched out after two sprints and missed by a neck in a flat mile special weight affair late last year. He turned back and graduated in an extended sprint on Jan. 12, and stretched back out and landed the place behind next-out Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Endlessly in the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 10. He drilled a bullet for this on March 31 and will probably chase the pace under his new rider Umberto Rispoli. 

Stronghold is very reliable for Phil D’Amato. He finished in the exacta in all five starts and picked up his first stakes win in the Sunland Park Derby (G3) on Feb. 18. Antonio Fresu gave him a smart ride last time and figures to put this one in a nice tactical spot. 

Imagination has the same record and running style as Stronghold. Bob Baffert’s $1.05 million Into Mischief colt exits a gritty victory as the favorite in the Grade 2 San Felipe, and he should make his presence felt from the outset under Frankie Dettori. 

Wynstock stretched out and aired in his local flat mile maiden win last fall, and gamely held off Stronghold as a 13-1 longshot in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). His Southwest (G3) effort was bad, but he probably disliked the wet track. He meets other speed and I do not trust him at all, but he can compete with these if he shakes loose early under Juan Hernandez.   

Tessuto completed the trifecta in his first two sprints, and stretched out and graduated from a stalking position on Feb. 25. He is on the improve but class is a cloud. 

The Santa Anita Derby field also includes Curlin’s Kaos, Mc Vay, and E J Won the Cup. 

Santa Anita Derby 2024 Picks

The Santa Anita Derby is my 33rd video on the road to Kentucky Derby 2024, and my top choices have eleven wins, five runner-up finishes, and five show finishes. I will cover each points race on the Kentucky Derby trail. Check out my Santa Anita Derby 2024 picks video below.