The Grade 1 Malibu Stakes is an annual highlight of Santa Anita Park’s opening-day card for its winter-spring (Classic) meet. A race with a rich tradition, the seven-furlong Malibu has been won by horses that eventually excelled at sprinting such as Precisionist and Runhappy and also those that became elite classic-distance runners such as Spectacular Bid, Ferdinand, Shared Belief, and recently, Flightline.

Since the mid-1980s, the Malibu has been held in late December and restricted to 3-year-olds, and this year’s renewal drew a competitive field highlighted by 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Mystik Dan, who ships in from the Bluegrass state for his first start in nearly seven months.

1. Bentornato (3-1 morning-line odds): Florida-bred has never finished out of the money in nine career starts and outran his 28-1 odds by a substantial margin when losing the six-furlong Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint by a half-length last out. Luis Saez was aboard in that race and flies in from the East Coast to ride in the Malibu. Expect him to be aggressive from the gate and attempt to secure the lead. A blazing early pace plus the extra furlong of the Malibu at seven furlongs could prove to be the undoing of this sprint specialist.

JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Jose D’Angelo

2. Pilot Commander (6-1): Lightly raced son of Justify is one of three Bob Baffert-trained entrants in the Malibu and comes in off of a 2 ¾-length win in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer on this track back in October. He won from a pace-pressing spot and Juan Hernandez, who was in the irons that day, keeps the mount and should strive for a similar trip. Still has upside and if he takes another step, he can be a factor in career start number four.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

3. Winterfell (15-1): The second Baffert trainee in the field showed little in his first five starts in California back in spring and early summer but then blossomed and easily won three straight starts at distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles when shipped to the Mid-Atlantic circuit to trainer Brittany Russell. Now he’s back with Baffert but one suspects the level of competition he faced at Parx Racing and Laurel Park was quite a bit softer than this field.

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

4. Senior Officer (5-1): Ships in from Kentucky off only two career starts for trainer Brad Cox, both of them at Churchill Downs facing large fields. He won a six-furlong maiden race impressively in September and then finished a good second in a 6 ½-furlong allowance optional claimer in late October. Another one with plenty of upside, but will need to improve substantially to pull the upset. His closing running style isn’t exactly suited to this track surface.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Brad Cox

5. Imagination (12-1): Baffert’s third Malibu starter has competed well when racing in California, and has posted a third and a second in a pair of routes since returning from a fruitless two-race trip east last summer. Should press the pace under first-time rider Joel Rosario and certainly can hit the board, although his best form appears to be a cut below several others in the field.

JOCKEY: Joel Rosario; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. (Candice Chavez/Eclipse Sportswire)

6. Mystik Dan (5-2): The Kentucky Derby winner makes his much-anticipated return since finishing a non-threatening eighth in the Belmont Stakes in June, which followed a runner-up finish in the Preakness Stakes and before that, his upset Derby win by a nose. Has been training well for his comeback in Kentucky and has a big chance to win if he can fire fresh as he actually could be best suited for races in the seven-furlong to 1 1/16-mile range. Will probably be overbet, though.

JOCKEY: Brian Hernandez Jr.; TRAINER: Ken McPeek

7. Stronghold (8-1): Winner of the 2024 Santa Anita Derby  has not been seen since finishing second by 3 ¾ lengths to Seize the Grey in the Pennsylvania Derby in September. Has been training well at his Santa Anita base since then and should be running late from off the pace with regular rider Antonio Fresu aboard. Could have too much work to do, however, and based on his record he prefers longer distances.

JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

8. Raging Torrent (9-2): Speedster has stepped up his game in four starts since a brief two-race stint on turf, winning twice at Churchill Downs including a stakes and then taking the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes by a neck over California Star The Chosen Vron back in late August. He then tired to finish seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and seeks to rebound in the Malibu under first-time jockey Frankie Dettori. Look for Dettori to urge him out of the gate from the outside post and join Bentornato from the rail in a duel for the early lead.

JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori; TRAINER: Doug O’Neill

THE PICK: Mystik Dan

LIVE LONGSHOT: Pilot Commander

SUPERFECTA: 6-2-1-7