Bet on The Santa Anita Derby

Bet on The Santa Anita Derby

Since 1935, horse owners and trainers have prepped for the Run for the Roses by running the best three-year-olds in California in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. The race is famous not only because it’s the premier race for Triple Crown hopefuls on the West Coast, but also because it has produced sixteen Kentucky Derby winners in its history, including I’ll Have Another in 2012 who was the favorite to win the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown before getting hurt the Friday morning before the race. The Santa Anita Derby has even produced a Triple Crown winner, the last horse to win the Triple Crown, in Affirmed in 1978. Without a doubt, horseplayers the world over pay attention to the Santa Anita Derby, one of the most important prep races for the first Saturday in May.  

Online Racebook Guide

When it comes to betting on the Santa Anita Derby, horseplayers will want to make sure they utilize a great racebook. We’ve studied the rebates, sign-up bonuses, and wagering systems that each one of the racebooks below offers.

* REMINDER! - you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly!

The Santa Anita Derby Betting Odds

Bovada Racebook is our #1 suggested site for betting on the Santa Anita Derby. Bovada offers a 3% rebate on straight wagers and a 5% rebate on all exotic wagers. Horseplayers get the rebate whether their horse wins or loses.

2017 Santa Anita Derby Contenders 

With the 1-2-3 finishers back from the Grade 2 San Felipe, the 2016 Derby figured to come down to Danzing Candy, Mor Spirit or Exaggerator with most handicappers focusing on the rematch between Danzing Candy and Mor Spirit. When the track came up sloppy, however, Exaggerator was the beneficiary. With his previous best performance coming over a sloppy track in the Delta Jackpot as a two year-old, the Keith Desormeaux trainee once again proved his affinity for the surface, dominating his foes with a devastating turf of foot. Back some 15 lengths off the early leaders, Exaggerator ridden by his trainer's brother Kent Desormeux, unleashed a furious rally around the turn, leaving the field in his wake and coming away with an impressive 6 1/4-length win. Mor Spirit rallied to finish second and Danzing Candy, clearly never comfortable on the off going, finished third. The trio of runners will all pack their bags for Louisville for a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. 

2016 Order of Finish:              Win    Place   Show

1st: Exaggerator                          $8.80 $3.60 $2.80

2nd: Mor Spirit                                      $2.80 $2.40          

3rd: Uncle Lino                                               $5.00

(Also Ran: Danzing Candy, Diplodocus, Denman's Call, Smokey Image, Iron Rob)  

Check back closer to race day for 2017 Santa Anita Derby contenders!     

Did you know? 

The Santa Anita Derby is the race that Sham used to prep for his Triple Crown battles with Secretariat in 1973. The great Laffit Pincay rode Sham in his Santa Anita Derby victory as well as in his three defeats to Big Red.

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Santa Anita Derby six times in his career, but not a single one of his Santa Anita Derby winners has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. Silver Charm won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness after finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby. Real Quiet did the same in 1998.