By Jarrod Horak
This handicapping article and companion video features analysis of the Eddie Logan Stakes and Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Both races were originally scheduled for December 31, 2025 and were rescheduled due to wet weather.
Eddie Logan field:
1 – Brigante (20-1)
2 – Stark Contrast (7-5)
3 – Iriseach (5-1)
4 – Unrivaled Time (6-1)
5 – Plutarch (2-1)
6 – Caro Buono (12-1)
7 – Third Beer (10-1).
The $100,000 Eddie Logan is for 2-year-olds traveling one mile on the turf course. It is the third race on Jan. 8 and the scheduled post time is 4:06 PM ET.
Eddie Logan Analysis (Top Contenders)
Stark Contrast was 4th of 6th (beaten 11 lengths) in his dirt sprint bow, and he rallied to beat Medici by a length as the favorite from an outer post in a turf route second time out. He saved ground behind the speed from the inside post in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach on Oct. 5 and he won that race by a length. He was on the upswing heading into the Grade 1 BC Juvenile Turf on Oct. 31 and he stalked the pace and was second best as a 58-1 longshot. His tactical speed should serve him well in this spot.
Plutarch picked up his first win in his fifth career start as the even money favorite in a special weight affair at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Nov. 30, and he looked good visually from post 11 that day. He looked better than the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille runners on the same card and four of those runners are in this heat. He placed in three straight stakes races prior to his last. He landed the place in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3) on Sept. 7 (one mile turf). He returned to dirt and finished a close third in the Grade 1 American Pharoah (1 1/16 miles dirt) on Oct. 4, and he checked in third as the beaten chalk in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at one mile on turf on Oct. 31. He reunites with his Del Mar Juvenile pilot Juan Hernandez and Bob Baffert has good stats with his recent graduates taking on winners.
Third Beer rallied to win as the favorite in his California-bred flat mile turf bow at Del Mar. He was 7-1 in the Zuma Beach on Oct. 5 and rallied for the place behind Stark Contrast. He ran faster second time out and had an uncomfortable trip and ended up 12th of 14 at 56-1 odds in the BC Juvenile Turf last time. Tim Yakteen is 2-for-4 with a show finish at Santa Anita and he might rebound at a price.
Robert Frankel Stakes field:
1 – Public Assembly (9-5)
2 – Willa T (8-1)
3 – Ima Joker (15-1)
4 – Hannah Buckle (10-1)
5 – Paradise Lake (2-1)
6 – Sun of Hill (12-1)
7 – Starry Night (15-1)
8 – Watchtower (9-2)
The Grade 3, $100,000 Robert Frankel Stakes is for fillies and mares traveling 1 1/8 miles on the turf course. It is the 7th race on Jan. 8 with a scheduled post time of 6:11 PM ET.
Robert Frankel Analysis (Top Contenders)
Public Assembly was on a roll with four straight exacta finishes from September 2024 thru April 2025. She stepped up and made the grade in the Royal Heroine (G3) in April, and was 5th of 7 in the Grade 1 Gamely in May. She landed the place in the Yellow Ribbon (G2) on Aug. 9, and was an even 4th of 9 in the John C. Mabee (G2) on Sept. 6. She had an uncomfortable trip and was 6th of 11 as a 49-1 longshot in the Goldikova (G3) on Nov. 1. This one finished a neck behind winning favorite Mrs. Astor in the Red Carpet (G3) last time. She is 2-for-3 at SA and 0-for-2 at 1 1/8 miles on turf, and this is her third start off a short layoff. Her regular rider Antonio Fresu broke his toe recently and is out of action for a few weeks, and Umberto Rispoli is his new pilot.
Paradise Lake owns a trio of turf wins at Santa Anita including scores at this distance on May 26 and Oct. 10. She stepped up to face stakes foes in the Red Carpet on Nov. 23 and ran on for the show in a respectable effort. Juan Hernandez sticks with Peter Eurton’s consistent filly and I like the jockey-trainer team stats (13 5-4-1).
Sun of Hill ran three straight quality turf races at Santa Anita last February, March, and April including a show finish in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine. She went off form after that and showed signs of life when rallying to miss the show by a neck in the Red Carpet last time. She should be running late at a price.
Watchtower had the saddle slip and pulled up and walked off in the Rodeo Drive (G2) on Oct. 4. She wheeled back 9-days later and split a 12-horse field in the restricted Swingtime. She won the local Grade 3 Autumn Miss last fall and started 2025 with a rallying show finish in the Yellow Ribbon (nose behind Public Assembly). Her new rider Mirco Demuro is a profitable turf pilot and she will try to get involved late.
Santa Anita Park Stakes Video (Eddie Logan + Robert Frankel)