Updated: Santa Anita Handicap favorite Gift Box out with injury
Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap will be without its favorite.
The defending race winner Gift Box was announced as a race day scratch for the connections of John Sadler and Hronis Racing. As for why, it wasn't known until later that Sadler told the 7-year-old son of Twirling Candy is dealing with a sore ankle.
When last seen, Gift Box was a dominant front-running winner of the Dec. 28 San Antonio Stakes (G2). He had been training in sensational fashion, schooling in the Santa Anita paddock Friday while looking to make Sadler the first trainer in the race's 83-year history to win three straight after Accelerate began the streak in 2018.
The connections will still be represented by Combatant. Like Gift Box, he was formerly campaigned back east and purchased after appearing in some top races for 3-year-olds. Accordingly, jockey Joel Rosario is shifting from Gift Box to Combatant, who originally had Umberto Rispoli aboard.
Gift Box's scratch makes Midcourt, the San Pasqual (G2) hero in his last start, the new morning line favorite, per Santa Anita Park odds maker Jon White:
Horse Racing Nation handicapper Jarrod Horak selected the Big 'Cap as his Best Bet race for Saturday; Gift Box was not his top choice.