The day after Christmas at Santa Anita Park in Southern California offers the best present of the holiday season for avid horse bettors. Sunday’s race card is filled with six different major graded stakes events.

Four of these events are open to three-year old Thoroughbreds with some top-notch colts and fillies expected to be in each of the fields. The other two races open up the field to Thoroughbreds three and older. All told, there is $1.5 million up for grabs in total prize money.

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A few of the best races on this card start with the $300,000 Grade 1 La Brea Stakes, which is a seven-furlong sprint on dirt for three-year old fillies. The Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile is a turf race for three-year old colts with $200,000 in total prize money.

The two races that caught my eye start with the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes covering 1 1/8 miles on the turf track at Santa Anita. Next up is the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on dirt covering 1 1/16 miles in total distance. Each race has a total prize purse of $200,000.

The post positions have been drawn and below are my Win-Place-Show picks for each of these featured events.

2021 San Gabriel Stakes Predictions

Win: Hit the Road

Starting this race from the No. 4 post, this four-year old Kentucky-bred colt is coming off a third- place finish in this year’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. Trained by Dan Blacker, the son of More Than Ready has finished in the money six times in his last seven races. This impressive run includes four victories.

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Place: Friar’s Road

Trained by Michael McCarthy, this four-year old will break from the No. 2 post on Sunday with jockey Jose Ortiz getting the ride. The Quality Road sire finished third in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. He just took third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 26.

Show: Indian Peak

After finishing third in this year’s Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar in late November, the son of Comic Strip will start this race from the No. 1 post with Juan Hernandez as his jockey. Trained by Ruben Alvarado, the four-year old gelding won the ungraded California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita on Oct. 17.

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2021 San Antonio Stakes Predictions

Win: Hot Rod Charlie

The 2021 season has been quite a run for this Kentucky-bred three-year old. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the son of Oxbow placed in the money in the Kentucky Derby (3 rd ), Belmont Stakes (2nd) and the Pennsylvania Derby (1st). Most recently, Hot Rod Charlie finished fourth in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.

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Place: Express Train

Trained by John Shirreffs, the four-year old colt will start second on Sunday in a field of seven. His last time out, the Union Rags sire was the show horse in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. He has now finished in the money in his last five races at this track.

Show: Eight Rings

The No. 5 horse in this race is trained by Bob Baffert and he will be ridden by veteran jockey John Velazquez. The son of Cairo Prince is coming off a third-place run in this year’s Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 20. His last win at Santa Anita as a four-year old was in a 1 1/16-mile Allowance Claimer in early October.