Santa Anita Picks & Predictions — May 23, 2026

Take Another Card (#1) is our place pick with a strong rating of 76.91, and Simon Callaghan conditions the horse with Antonio Fresu in the irons. The 5/1 morning line represents genuine value for a horse that rates second in this field by a comfortable margin over the rest. A 14% career win rate is modest, but in a stakes spot at a mile on the turf, tactical versatility can trump raw win numbers — and the speed figure of 57 is right there with the best.

O K Rose (#4) rounds out our top three with a 66.01 rating and a 21% career win rate for Peter Eurton, who knows the Santa Anita turf course as well as anyone. Hector Berrios rides at a 6/1 morning line — that's legitimate value for a show position in a stakes field. She doesn't have to beat Grand Slam Smile to land in the money, and that's a much more achievable ask.

Carl Erskine (#3) brings a 63.46 rating and the experience of Antonio Fresu in the irons for Steven Miyadi, and at 4/1 on the morning line, there's a case for him as a legitimate contender in this spot. His average speed of 51 raises a flag — that's the lowest logged figure among the horses with recorded data — but the overall rating and trainer/jockey combo suggest he's further along than the raw figure shows. He's our place selection and a natural pairing with Stage Run in exotics.

Trojan Mafia (#5) is the public's 5/2 favorite and logs a 57.50 rating — solid but below our top two. Jeff Mullins trains, and Tiago Josue Pereira gets the call in what is a competitive maiden route. The modest career speed average of 54 keeps him off the top of our board, but at 5/2, the market clearly sees something here, and he's a safe show inclusion to round out the ticket.

Flyover (#7) is the even-money chalk for good reason — an 82.83 rating, 42% career win rate, and the top average speed in the field at 58 make him legitimately dangerous. John Sadler trains and Antonio Fresu rides, one of the most productive combos at Santa Anita. Even if our model tabs On the Whim as the marginal edge, Flyover is nearly impossible to leave off an exotic ticket — he's a must-use in the exacta.

Prince Dolce (#4) rounds out our selections at a 78.49 rating — the third-best in the field — and Ricardo Gonzalez gets the call for Steve Knapp at 8/1 on the morning line. A 25% career win rate and an average speed of 55 put him firmly in contention, and 8/1 in a stakes field is a price worth exploiting in the trifecta. He's a legitimate on-the-board threat who the public may be underestimating.

Run With Liberty (#3) checks in at a 55.83 rating and is trained by Jeff Mullins with Kyle Frey up at 7/2 on the morning line. The absence of a recorded speed average suggests she's lightly raced or debuts at this level, which adds some uncertainty — but Mullins' skill in placing horses suggests this spot was chosen carefully. At 7/2, she's a sensible place bet behind the favorite.

Lino's Angel (#6) is our longshot inclusion at 30/1 — a massive price that rewards bettors willing to get creative in the trifecta. Tyler Baze rides for Edwin Alvarez, and the 55.0 rating and 20% career win rate are modest but not embarrassing in this company. At 30/1, you don't need much to justify the ticket inclusion — a clean trip and a pace collapse up front could easily land her on the board.

Third Beer (#7) is our place selection with a 69.54 rating, a 40% career win rate, and Kazushi Kimura up for Tim Yakteen. The 6/1 morning line is fair value for a horse this well-credentialed, and the average speed of 55 matches up with the best in the field outside of our top pick. Yakteen has been a consistent performer at Santa Anita, and Kimura's recent form in stakes races has been sharp. Third Beer is a strong exacta partner.

He's a Knockout (#3) is the public's 6/5 choice and comes in with a perfect 100% career win rate — though the context of that record matters in evaluating how deep it goes. Juan Hernandez rides for Carla Gaines, and the 59.67 rating is third-best in the field. Our model has him behind two horses at notably bigger prices, which is exactly the kind of scenario where betting the show pool offers a middle-ground play — you collect if he hits the board even if he can't quite repeat his unbeaten record.

Majestic Palisades (#3) is our value play here at 6/1 on the morning line with an 82.22 TrackWiz rating — the second-best figure in the race. Trainer Librado Barocio sends Armando Aguilar out on a horse that averages 54 on the speed figures and has shown a 15% career win rate, which is modest but acceptable for an allowance optional claiming spot. The gap between this horse's rating and anything below him in the field is significant, and 6/1 is a price you want to be on the right side of in the exacta.

Known Idea (#2) completes our top three at a 75.25 rating with Florent Geroux up for George Papaprodromou — a capable trainer/jockey alignment at 7/2 on the morning line. The 20% career win rate and 55 average speed figure position him as a legitimate third option in what shapes up as a clear pecking order race. He's a safe show bet and a key piece in trifecta tickets underneath our top two selections.

Flash of Lightning (#11) checks in second on our ratings at 71.08 and draws the services of Kazushi Kimura for Richard Baltas — a trainer who knows how to debut horses effectively on the turf. At 3/1 on the morning line, this horse is expected to factor, and the average speed of 55 matches up with the top contenders. As a place selection, Flash of Lightning represents a logical second option in a maiden field where separating the top horses from the pack is the real challenge.

Throwthefirstpunch (#7) is our show pick at 61.19 on the TrackWiz ratings and is trained by Doug O'Neill with Emisael Jaramillo in the irons. The 8/1 morning line is an attractive price for a horse this well-rated in the field — only two horses sit above him, both of which are already on our ticket. O'Neill is consistently among the leaders in the trainer standings at Santa Anita, and at 8/1, this horse offers genuine trifecta value to close out the card.