Malibu Stakes Picks —Betting Preview and Predictions (Dec 28)

Grade One action headlines the card at Santa Anita on December 28, as a field of three-year-old horses compete over seven furlongs on the dirt. The race holds a purse of $300,000, and it is the opening leg of Santa Anita’s Strub Series. Find our picks for the race here.

Odds

Malibu Stakes Recent Winners

Malibu Stakes: Event Information

Race Preview

A red-hot renewal of the Malibu Stakes is set for Santa Anita just after Christmas, with a talented field of ten three-year-old runners making up the field. Seven furlongs will be covered in the race, and unsurprisingly, Bob Baffert holds a very strong hand.

Madaket Road has always threatened to be a proven performer in this grade, but he was a disappointing fifth in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on his latest effort. Being back at Santa Anita could suit his chances after breaking his maiden at the track at this meet 12 months ago.

Cornucopian is another of the Baffert runners in the Malibu, with Flavien Prat booked to take the ride. The three-year-old has won once from three career starts and has been lightly raced since finishing second in an allowance optional claimer back in April at Aqueduct. Should be a leading contender on his debut at the track.

Goal Orientated drops back to seven furlongs after finishing sixth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November. Has bits of form to like, including a fourth in the G1 Preakness, and a third in the G1 Haskell. Philip D’Amato’s Speedy Wilson could be an interesting outsider, winning impressively at Del Mar on his previous outing at the end of November, setting an Equibase SF of 105.

Malibu Stakes Picks

The perfectly bred Barnes was an expensive purchase for connections, and this could be his opportunity to land Grade One honors. Was an excellent winner of the G3 Perryville Stakes at Keeneland last time, and has run with credit at the track previously, landing the G2 San Vicente and finishing second in the G2 San Felipe.