Santa Anita Derby Handle and Attendance Post Gains; Titles for Classic Meet Awarded

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday's Santa Anita Derby day showed large increases over 2024 with the all sources handle totaling $22,388,003 and wagering on just the marquee race up by nearly 24 per cent, according to a press release by the track.

Bolstered by a big turnout from the Derby Day 5K, the on-track attendance came in at 34,312, a seven per cent jump from last season. It was the largest turnout since 2018. Both the all sources handle and on track attendance are expected to finish the Classic Meet Sunday up by noteworthy margins from last year.

Mark Glatt, Juan Hernandez Clinch Respective Titles

With one day remaining in the Classic Meet, Mark Glatt has claimed the leading trainer title while Juan Hernandez claimed his eighth riding title at Santa Anita.

Glatt entered Sunday with 30 wins from 118 starters–a 25% strike rate–and, with Bob Baffert only having three in on the final day, will claim the training crown via a five-win margin over that runner-up. The win here is Glatt's second trainer title at the Great RIP.

Juan Hernandez rode 50 winners from 224 mounts (22% win rate), clinching the leading rider title from Flavien Prat in second–who did not have mounts on Sunday–and enjoying a 12-win margin over Umberto Rispoli in third. Hernandez has 10 rides on Sunday and Rispoli has a call on six. This is the eighth jockey title at Santa Anita for Hernandez.

Saturday was Hernandez's most lucrative day of the meeting with the rider carrying his momentum to victory in three of five stakes races, including the GII Santa Anita Oaks, GIII Monrovia Stakes, and the Listed Echo Eddie Stakes for three different trainers.

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