THE historic Santa Anita Handicap (Grade 1) is the highlight at Santa Anita this evening with Effinex set to go off favourite. He was second to American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and then won the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in November. Mike Smith will seek an unprecedented fourth consecutive win in the Big ’Cap.

Second choice Imperative bids to improve on second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes in February and again to California Chrome in the San Pasqual Stakes in January.