The last card of the year in Southern California is scheduled to go to post at 3 pm ET / noon PT on New Year’s Eve at the Great Race Place. The 9-race slate is led by the featured Robert J. Frankel (G3) for the ladies at 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita lawn. Here are a few horses I like on the card in hopes it leads me into a great 2026.

Happy New Year to all of you! I appreciate your support this year. Let’s close things out with a bang!

Race 1:
The opener is a state-bred MSW event for fillies and mares at one-mile over the grass. #2 Warm Reception exits a common race with a few of her rivals where she missed by just a head over this same surface and distance. The effort was a solid one since she almost got to the 4-5-favorite that was loose on the lead throughout. However, a deeper dive suggests this was just a subpar group since the odds-on victor came into the race having lost 8 times already, including four as the favorite and twice at below even money. I will opt for a fresh face in #1 Syntax. The Pavel filly put forth a solid second on debut sprinting over the main track and should move forward with the surface switch and stretch out in distance. She is a half-sister to Syntatic, a winner of 3 of 18 in grass routes. She seems worth a gamble against this bunch.

Play: #1 Syntax (6-1 ML)


Race 2:

The second half of the early Double is this first-level allowance at two-turns over the main track. The speedy #1 Del Mar Jerry was made the 2-1-ML favorite with a pair of Bob Baffert runners likely to take plenty of public support as well. They are capable, but I am not in love with their chances compared to their likely off odds, so I will take a big swing with #4 Runaway Charlie. The Ontario-bred has been given time since early May when he held off the odds-on favorite in an allowance event at Hawthorne. The competition gets tougher here without question, but he has been working steadily for his return to the racetrack. The son of Ghostzapper is now in the hands of veteran conditioner Vladimir Cerin and could get the right trip off a lively early pace under Joel Rosario. The price should be solid despite just a field of six.

Play: #4 Runaway Charlie (12-1 ML)


Race 7: Robert J. Frankel (G3)

The featured event kicks off the $3 late Pick 3, is the second leg of the All-Turf Pick 3, and obviously is a part of all standard late sequences, so it is a pivotal race for horizontal players on New Years’ Eve to say the least. I will single second choice #6 Paradise Lake. The daughter of Uncle Mo was beaten on the square last time by 8-5-ML favorite #1 Public Assembly, but also got came from further off the pace. That very well could happen again, but I prefer the Peter Eurton trainee over the Santa Anita sod. This stands to reason since she has earned all 3 of her career wins over the course. Plus, she is likely to benefit from the cut back to 9-panels. I will live and die with the C R K Stable runner in this year’s Robert J. Frankel.

Play: #6 Paradise Lake (2-1 ML)