British Isles surged to victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, pulling off a 7-1 upset over the heavily favored Just a Touch. The 5-year-old gelding won by 4 1/4 lengths under jockey Diego Herrera, marking the rider's first Grade 1 triumph. Trainer Richard Baltas secured his second Big 'Cap win with the horse.
The Santa Anita Handicap, a prestigious Grade 1 race worth $300,000 over 1 1/4 miles, unfolded on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. British Isles, trained by Richard Baltas and owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Deborah A. Baltas, and Cynthia McClanahan, entered as a 7-1 contender. The 5-year-old Justify gelding had shown promise with a fifth-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup in January and a narrow defeat in the Native Diver Stakes the previous November.
Midnight Mammoth set the pace with fractions of 22.86, 46.63, 1:11.31, and 1:36.72 seconds. British Isles, ridden by 22-year-old Diego Herrera, advanced past the quarter pole and drew off in the stretch to win in 2:05.17. Vodka Vodka, at 6-1 under Kent Desormeaux, finished second, followed by 3-1 Getaway Car and the 3-5 favorite Just a Touch.
Herrera, a native of Inglewood who began as a quarter-horse jockey at Los Alamitos, expressed disbelief: "I don't even have any words, it is just such a blessing. Thank God that everything came together today." Baltas, who previously won the race in 2021 with Idol, noted his initial concern on the turn but praised Herrera's ride: "I was a little worried around the turn. Diego did a great job with the horse... then suddenly, he burst away. I was ecstatic."
This victory improved British Isles' record to 3-6-4 from 23 starts, boosting his earnings to $371,826. He paid $16.40 to win, $6.00 to place, and $4.20 to show. The event drew 19,112 attendees, the largest crowd since 2019, highlighting the race's enduring appeal in the Thoroughbred calendar.
