The Lead:
The Breeders' Cup returns to Santa Anita in five weeks' time, but not before a final flurry of major prep races will be held on the grounds. Saturday's Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes gives west coast Classic contenders a chance to showcase their skills over 1-1/8 miles, a furlong shorter than the destination event. The Awesome Again, by that same point, could lead a runner to turn back a furlong and attempt the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile as well.

The Awesome Again goes as Race 8 on a card that also features the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, the Eddie D. Stakes and the City of Hope Mile in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Turf Sprint and Mile divisions.

​Field Depth:
Grade 1 winners here include last year's Awesome Again winner DEFUNDED (pictured above), Preakness winner NATIONAL TREASURE and Santa Anita Handicap winner STILLETO BOY. Grade 2 winners include SENOR BUSCADOR and SLOW DOWN ANDY, the latter Grade 1-placed. SKINNER and PIROLI are Grade 1-placed. This is a very familiar cast of handicap division runners on the west coast with no major separation on class.

Pace:
NATIONAL TREASURE adds blinkers and has done his best work on the front end. He likely makes the lead in a modest pace scenario that features pressing/stalking sorts like DEFUNDED, SLOW DOWN ANDY, PIROLI and STILLETO BOY. This set-up doesn't beg for a deep closer and likely captured among the first flight or two.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-SENOR BUSCADOR: Late-running miler is stretched a bit beyond his best trip at 1-1/8 miles, but his fourth in the Pacific Classic last time showed that he's maintaining good form. Needs it to cook up front to have best chance.

2-DEFUNDED: Santa Anita specialist has 5 local wins and wired the field in this race last year against an arguably tougher cast. Distance suits him well and he's bounced back from Del Mar defeats in the past.

3-SLOW DOWN ANDY: Consistent sort has a running style that puts him into the race and keeps him there. His last effort in the Pacific Classic makes him a major player in this race, and he was third here a year ago when less credentialed than current.

4-SKINNER: Promising 2023 sophomore just hasn't clicked while dropping four straight decisions, though never embarrassed. He'll give you a run, but more brilliant horses are going to continue to have a tactical edge over him. Gets in light at 118 pounds and that may help his cause with return to Mike Smith in saddle.

5-BYE BYE BOBBY: Hit the board in Del Mar's top marathon and sprint races, showing versatility. Pedigree and running lines suggest this kind of distance should suit, but he's meeting tougher competition than he's faced to date.

6-CELESTIAL MOON: New York transplant won a Del Mar mile allowance in his first try for Mark Glatt and now gets tossed into the fire. Distance will be a big obstacle in addition to the class rise.

7-NATIONAL TREASURE: Didn't sustain speed in the Belmont Stakes or Travers at longer trips since wiring the Preakness, so the 1-1/8 miles trip here will certainly be more welcome. The addition of blinkers likely insures he'll be setting the tempo, but not a rousing endorsement that John Velazquez doesn't come west to ride him. Juan Hernandez a top-shelf replacement, however.

8-PIROLI: 28-1 runner-up in the Hollywood Gold Cup over this track, a length off Defunded, in May, but missed the mark twice at Del Mar since. Return to likely preferred surface and big workout Sept. 16 gives longshot interest.

9-STILLETO BOY: Wheels came off in the Pacific Classic for an otherwise honest handicap runner who has had some big days over this track. Difficult read, however, so let the tote be your influence. Can't take a single-digit price, but if let go above 10-1, you could be drawn in.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
DEFUNDED should get a good trip and is best over this track and trip.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
PIROLI chased Defunded here at a price in the Hollywood Gold Cup and will be overlooked once again.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$50 win DEFUNDED. $30 exacta DEFUNDED over PIROLI. $20 exacta SLOW DOWN ANDY over PIROLI.