SANTA ANITA
Race 1
No. 2 One for My Baby comes off the layoff for Diodoro, he ran vs. some good ones in his one and only start last May here when going 4-1/2 furlongs in the slop, look for a big effort today. No. 4 Dupree’s Diamond gets his first start for Rosemary Trela who has won with 2 of her last 3 starters. No. 7 Lucky Tommy gets a good post for this and has a real good last work. 2-4-7
Race 2
Baffert sends out a one two punch with No. 1 Arrogate off a big maiden win and No. 2 Fusaichi Sumurai who just missed last out at this level. What looks the only danger to the top two is No. 5 Chief of Staff a speedy colt for Hollendorfer. 1-2-5
Race 3
Lots of early speed in this six furlong sprint so we will opt for two that will be sitting off the hot pace. No. 3 Fans On the Run whose only win came when Bejarano rode him and he gets back on today first off the Bill Spawr claim. No. 5 Nicaradalic Rocks will also be making a big late run. 3-5
Race 4
We get 8k claimers going 7 furlongs. No. 1 Accelerant is a 9yo who stills has some run in those legs. No. 3 Northern Iowa gets his second start at this level, he gets the bug boy Chad Lindsay today and we see better. 1-3
Race 5
We get $12,500 claimers going a flat mile and we will take our shot in here and single No. 9 Carulli who will try and take them wire to wire. 9
Race 6
No. 1 Malware is the speed on the rail who gets blinkers on today, she has been looking for a race. No. 4 Mai Tai exits the Enola Gray race, no such fillies in this one. 1-4
Race 7
Trainer Doug O’Neill brings back No. 3 Passionate Emotion off the 7 month layoff and first off the claim, it is good to see that Bejarano gets the call. No. 2 Wife Approved is looking for her 3rd straight win. No. 6 Star of Munster is on win every other race pattern and once again this is her win race as she looks for her 6th win from 12 starts. 2-3**-6
Race 8
We get a very soft group of 20k maiden claimers going 5-1/2 furlongs. No. 1 Speed General is the only first-time starter and he is trained by Peter Miller who can strike with a first-time starter, the price may be right with the low profile bug boy Jose Barnes getting the call, he is still looking for his first win here. No. 7 Mischievous Bull comes off a downhill turf race vs. winners, he is the one to beat on the big drop in class. 1-7**
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Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GT’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Twitter: @SabesBet. Email: [email protected].