How to bet the 2026 Rodeo Drive Stakes
May Day Ready wired the Lake Placid (G2) and held off troubled favorite Play With Fire (Photo by Coglianese Photos)
A total of 11 fillies and mares will run 1 1/4 miles over the Santa Anita green in Saturday’s $200,000 Rodeo Drive (G2). Morning-line choice #1 Thought Process (4-5) is a bit of a question mark, making her first run at the distance, but the Collected filly is a sterling four-for-four on the surface in her lifetime, and I expect her to ace her initial 10-furlong test.
Rodeo Drive Wagers
Trained by Phil D’Amato, the four-year-old chestnut was defeated last time coming off the shelf, but I feel that her run at Del Mar was a great prep for her second run off the break. She will be forcing the tempo from the outset with Hector Berrios in the irons.
Richard Mandella’s #9 May Day Ready (5-1) was a facile winner over one rival at Kentucky Downs last time in her first effort with blinkers on and has a lot of appeal going 1 1/4 miles in this spot. The accomplished daughter of Tapit has not been ultra-consistent since her juvenile campaign, but the bay is still plenty good on her best day, and I’m interested to see how she performs a second time with hood on while stretching out in trip. Kaz Kimura will guide the four-year-old.
#2 Resolve (30-1) is a huge price on the line, and while the Leonard Powell trainee doesn’t win that often, the dark bay filly has run some big races on the course and could grab a share at a huge number in the affair. The daughter of Midnight Lute possesses some versatility in her running style, and with a post near the fence, the lass will save ground throughout the contest and be in the hunt for a share late with Armando Ayuso riding the longshot.
D’Amato’s #5 Public Assembly (15-1) will make her third run off the bench and is a winner at the trip, as well as a dual winner on the course, too. The More Than Ready mare tired late in a run at Kentucky Downs most recently but will be fit for this and is a nice exotics contender in this particular affair, nonetheless. Julien Leparoux will take the reins.
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