How to bet the San Juan Capistrano Stakes

A total of six turf marathoners will travel 1 3/4 miles on the Santa Anita Hillside Turf Course in Sunday’s $100,000 San Juan Capistrano S. (G3). Conditioner Michael McCarthy has a pair of formidable foes signed on for the lengthy event, including stakes heroine #2 Duvet Day who will face the boys in the tilt. I like her chances in the feature.

By Starspangledbanner, the bay has been in solid form in 2023 while posting a trio of positive results in succession. She commenced her campaign with a score in the Astra S. on the course while running 12 furlongs, and following a third-place effort in the Santa Ana S. (G3) two prior, the four-year-old rallied to miss by just a head in the Santa Barbara S. last time out.

Duvet Day excels at distance races and her best efforts have all come at 1 3/8-mile or longer. Bred to run all day, the Irish-bred miss earned a lifetime-best 100 Brisnet Speed figure in her latest performance and has never been better leading up to Sunday. The top selection will have the services of top pilot Juan Hernandez as well, which is always a positive thing.

Stable companion #1 Offlee Naughty rides in on a three-race win streak since December with tallies in the Whittingham S. (G2) and San Luis Rey S. (G3) in his last two. The five-year-old son of Flashback is peaking and will be a difficult foe to upend with anything resembling his most recent effort when earning a 107 Speed number. This Kentucky-bred bay will benefit from drawing the rail in the contest with talented turf pilot Umberto Rispoli in the stirrups.

Multiple Group 1 hero #5 Planetario showed improvement in his second try in the U. S. when a rallying runner-up in the San Luis Rey S. (G3) most recently for conditioner Richard Mandella. The Brazilian bred is relatively lightly raced for a five-year-old with room for further growth, and the son of Il Doge gives the impression of a contender that will handle the extended distance, too. Hector Berrios will be in the silks and have the bay reserved in the early going prior to moving him into range nearing the top of the stretch.

San Juan Capistrano Wagers

$20 win: #2 Duvet Day ($20)

$5 exacta key box: 2 with 1,5 ($20)

$2 trifecta box: 1,2,5 ($12)