For 90-plus years, the “Big ’Cap” has been a marquee stakes race for older males at Santa Anita Park, won by turf legends like Seabiscuit, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, and John Henry to name just a few. This year’s Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel drew a field of seven, reduced to six with the scratch of probable favorite Skippylongstocking following travel difficulties.

1. Midnight Mammoth (8-1 morning-line odds): Last year’s fourth-place Santa Anita Handicap finisher, Midnight Mammoth was most recently last of five in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, beaten by 21 ¼ lengths by winner Westwood and 18 ½ lengths by runner-up Getaway Car. His best stakes efforts have come at 1 ¼ miles or longer, but that’s a lot of ground to make up on the top two from the San Pasqual in this spot.

JOCKEY: Armando Ayuso; TRAINER: Craig Dollase

2. Getaway Car (3-1): The 2025 Sunland Park Derby winner returned from an extended layoff in November with a disappointing sixth-place finish in an allowance-optional claiming race. He was much improved in his second start back when runner-up to Westwood in the San Pasqual, beaten by 2 ¾ lengths. He earned a new career-best Equibase Speed Figure and will need to continue to improve to turn the tables on his familiar foe.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

3. Just a Touch (3-2): Just a Touch has run second five times in stakes races with six top-three finishes, including a runner-up finish in the 2024 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and a third in the 2025 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, but has yet to earn a stakes victory. That could change Saturday in the Santa Anita Handicap. Just a Touch returned from six months off in January to finish second by a neck in the Louisiana Stakes Presented by Hagyard at Fair Grounds and is eligible to improve in his second start off the layoff.

JOCKEY: Florent Geroux; TRAINER: Brad Cox

4. Vodka Vodka (6-1): Five-year-old gelding’s lone stakes win to date came on turf, but he earned his best Equibase Speed Figure to date in a one-mile dirt race in October at Del Mar. Should be part of what could be a sprightly pace for 1 ¼ miles along with Midnight Mammoth, Getaway Car, Just a Touch, and Westwood.

JOCKEY: Kent Desormeaux; TRAINER: Aggie Ordonez

5. Skippylongstocking (SCRATCHED): Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. told Daily Racing Form that Skippylongstocking acted up boarding the flight to Southern California and was scratched.

JOCKEY: Tyler Gaffalione; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.

6. British Isles (6-1): Ran second in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes in November at Del Mar in his first try on dirt before finishing fifth against much tougher competition in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Jan. 24. The task here became more manageable with the scratch of Pegasus victor Skippylongstocking and British Isles could benefit from what projects to be a contested early pace.

JOCKEY: Diego Herrera; TRAINER: Richard Baltas

7. Westwood (SCRATCHED): Speedy San Pasqual Stakes winner projected to be a top contender following the scratch of Pegasus World Cup winner Skippylongstocking, but his connections scratched him from the race due to distance and pace concerns.

JOCKEY: Kazushi Kimura; TRAINER: Peter Eurton

THE PICK: Just a Touch

LIVE LONGSHOTs: British Isles/Vodka Vodka

TRIFECTA: 3-6-4