How to bet the 2024 San Carlos Stakes

Six horses will challenge the fantastic #1 The Chosen Vron is Saturday’s $100,000 San Carlos S. (G3) at Santa Anita on Saturday. And I think that only one horse has a chance to defeat the Cal-bred stalwart. 

San Carlos Wagers

• $6 superfecta 1 with 4 with 2 with all ($24)
• $3 superfecta 1,4 with 1,4 with 2 with all ($24)
• $3 superfecta 1,4 with 2 with 1,4 with all ($24)

#4 Ghost of Midnight began his career in a modest $20,000 maiden claiming event at Del Mar in September, but the late-developing six-year-old is far from a claiming runner. A winner of five of his six lifetime tries, the son of Ghostzapper hasn’t done much wrong leading up to his stakes debut and has to be given respect. 

Trained by Mark Glatt, Ghost of Midnight has displayed a fine turn of foot in the stretch in each of his career outings, and he will benefit from a cutback in distance following a pair of allowance runs at eight furlongs as of late. The Kentucky-bred was a dominant winner in his lone previous attempt at seven-eighths, and his brisk half-mile drill most recently hints that he will be ready to go from the break on Saturday. In a field lacking pace, the win threat will never be too far back with Antonio Fresu in the stirrups. 

The Chosen Vron is among the top sprinters on the West Coast and will be a short price, and deservedly so. Conditioned by Eric Kruljac, the son of Vronsky has compiled a 10-8-0-1 line on the surface and owns 15 tallies from 20 lifetime efforts overall. The Grade-1 winning chestnut can adapt to any pace scenario, and even a tricky rail draw will not impact him in this particular event. Regular pilot Hector Berrios will guide the stout six-year-old. 

Bob Baffert’s #2 Elwood Blues appears to be the pace of the race and could get brave if allowed to dictate through moderate early splits in the dash. The improving son of Justify has finished first or second in each of his handful of lifetime appearances to date, and I will use him in the second and third slots for the vertical exotics with Juan Hernandez up.