SANTA ANITA
Race 1
With no more turf racing and not many horses left on the grounds as trainers start moving their runners to Del Mar, they scheduled this race for horses that ran on the grass or the synthetic surface in their last start. No. 1 Atta Boy Pete exits our HTW list, he has won on the dirt in the past, he gets a drop in class to this 20k optional claimer but they only claimed this 7yo gelding for 10k so this is a good spot. No. 2 Eight Spokes will be the one he will need to hold off late. 1-2
Race 2
We have a 75k optional claimer here for 3yo fillies. No. 1 Emmzy is the speed on the rail with Mike Smith riding for Baffert. No. 4 Pico Chick also has speed and will be keeping Emmzy company on the front end and that could set things up for No. 5 Kay Kay who will be sitting off the hot pace. 1-4-5
Race 3
This is a real puzzler even though there are only six runners in the race before scratches. No. 3 May B likes to win races but will be overbet, after him we need to hit the all button. 3 (all)
Race 4
50k maiden 3yo go a flat mile. No. 3 Bernardjfortunato ran big when getting off the grass last out for 30k just failing to hold on late. No. 4 Trinitas Soldier did not like the slop last out, he drops to his lowest level and will try and run down Bernard late. 3-4
Race 5
2yo maiden fillies go five furlongs. No. 1 Radish ran second in her first start and can only move forward off the effort. No. 5 Blue Over You is a first-time starter for Bill Spawr out of the dam Wild Apart who has dropped 3 winners from 3 starters, she looks live. 1-5
Race 6
3yo go 7 furlongs, No. 1 Unapologetic owns one win and that came at this 7 furlong distance on the dirt, his only dirt start, his other 7 races where all run on the grass and Gutierrez who rode him that day gets back on today. No. 6 American League comes off the layoff as a first-time gelding and blinkers off, look for a big try today, with Tyler getting back on. 1-6
Race 7
Lots of early speed in this 6-1/2 furlong sprint and that leads us to No. 5 Pay the Fine who gets off the grass and drops in class, he will sit off the hot pace. No. 7 Texas Two Step also gets off the grass, he gets a good post and will be flying late. 5-7**
Exacta box 5-7 and win and place 7
Race 8
We get the largest field of the day at Santa Anita with 9 runners (before scratches) going 7 furlongs for 20k maiden 3yo fillies. No. 1 Goliath’s Girl gets her second start at this level off a second place finish last out, she has come back to work strong and looks odds on with these. No. 8 Too Much Drama drops in class and will be running late. 1-8
CHECK FOR LATE SCRATCHES AND CHECK THAT THE SADDLE CLOTH NUMBERS MATCH OUR SELECTION NUMBERS.
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].