Quills Picks Winners – Thursday 6/11 – Santa Anita Race 8

The curveballs continue as we have Santa Anita making up a cancelled card from earlier in the meet. Today’s feature is the Affirmed Stakes as three-year-olds will go a mile and a sixteenth on the main track.

Santa Anita Race 8 – Affirmed Stakes

Favored in the Affirmed Stakes is the 3 Secured Freedom (8/5 morning line). He returns home after finishing fourth in the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs. That race was a monster as the top two ran well at Saratoga last week. He gets class relief this afternoon and looks to be close to the pace

The 4 Decisive Win (9/5 ML) had just that in a maiden breaker last month here at Santa Anita. He wants the lead and should be able to get it. But will he be there at the end as he faces winners for the first time?

The 1 One More Freud (3/1 ML) had a rough start in his 2026 debut in the Pat Day Mile. He will get a class drop for his second race off of a long layoff. He appears to be a stalker and will stalk Decisive Win here today.

The 6 Court of Appeal (15/1 ML) was gelded since his last start in April where he showed nothing on the turf. He is more of a dirt horse but has a ways to go to catch up to the top three here today.

Joe’s Pick

The favorite Secured Freedom faced the toughest field in the group and should be tough to beat here, but he might have a loose leader in Decisive Win. But One More Freud had a horrible start in the Pat Day Mile and should bounce back in his second race off of the layoff.

I’m calling this race 1-3-4-6 and my play is $20 to win on the 1. Best of luck and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!