SANTA ANITA
Race 1
$40k maiden 3yo go 5-1/2 furlongs. No. 2 Saxon Lord is a 1st time starter for trainer Kory Owens, and he can strike with a first timer. No. 3 Bold Bid drops for Peter Miller and the hot riding Tyler Baze sticks, he is the one to beat. No. 6 True Image drops off the layoff and exits a key race. 2-3-6
Race 2
No. 1 Alwazabridesmaid gets the stretchout by Hollendorfer in this her third start, he hits at around .23% with his first time route runners. No. 3 Seeking Shamrocks has big early speed and owns a bullet work for this on the 7th. No. 5 Yana lost by a nostril going 7 furlongs last out and now Tyler says he will ride. 1-3-5
Race 3
No. 1 Rock Shandy will find no Dormunds or Firing Lines in this field. No. 3 Cyrus Alexander is always there and is looking for that breakout race. 1-3
Race 4
Lots of early zip in this mile race. No. 1 Valentine’s Reward will be able to sit chilly behind the speed and pounce down the lane. No. 6 Twinkle Toes will take the same course of action. 1-6
Race 5
No. 1 Atta Boy Pete had his race and looks set for his best, the post is the only concern. No. 7 Peacenik bet Pete last out and this 8yo gelding has won 5 of his 13 starts here. No. 9 Papa’s Paisley drops in class and finds a real nice spot. 1-7-9
Race 6
No. 2 Global View looks to be one of the best bets of the day, he came off the layoff and went down the hill. He now goes a flat mile, a distance that he has run three times with a win and two seconds. No. 4 Are You Kidding Me finds his way from Canada to the barn of Neil Drysdale who has put back to back 7 furlong works into this 5yo, he looks live at a price. No. 8 Midnight Storm is 2-for-2 on the grass including a wire-to-wire win in the Del Mar Derby last August which was his last race, he has been working with a purpose. 2-4-8
Key exacta box 2 with 4-8 and win and place 2
Race 7
No. 2 Celtic Moon comes off a nice win here last out and is spotted well off the win. No. 3 Life Is a Joy is in from the Gate for Hollendorfer, he finished a good second here the last time he ran here. No. 9 Brando the Birdman gets Bejarano and a drop in class. 2-3-9
Race 8
No. 2 Papa Z who comes off a not so good trip and No. 3 Air Nashoba who gets Espinoza back and gets back on the grass are the two key players in this field of 3yo maidens going 1-1/8 on the grass, we will use both in the late pick four and key both in the trifecta. 2-3 with 5-6-7
Pick four
5th 1-7-9
6th 2-8
7th 2-3-9
8th 2-3
Trifecta
2-3 with 2-3 with 5-6-7 and 2-3 with 5-6-7 with 2-3
GOLDEN GATE
Race 1
No. 3 Diamond Flush had her race and now goes a mile. No. 6 Red Mystic ran ok in her one race at a mile with stronger. 3-6
Race 2
No. 4 Unusual Meeting is 0-17 on this course but is a good fit with the drop in class. No. 5 Noble Kent drops and gets Baze riding for Mathis. 4-5
Race 3
No. 1 Silent Reward will try and take them wire-to-wire from her rail post in this mile turf race. No. 3 Big Rosie Brown will try and run her down. 1-3
Race 4
No. 2 Too Fast to Pass looks to wake up today off that last work in this his 3rd start for Wong. No. 3 Wildfire Kid was on the front end last time out and will take back today. No. 7 Rush In drops back to the level of his win one race back. 2-3-7
Race 5
No. 3 Reverchon is 1-for-1 on this turf course. No. 7 Princess Ofst.jude is the price play. 3-7
Exacta box 3-7 and win and place 7
Race 6
No. 7 Jacob’s Magic is the single of the day, he gets the stretchout and finds little to beat, Lopez gets his second shot with him and he has been riding hot. 7
Win and place 7
Double
5th 3-7
6th 7
Race 7
No. 2 Arcturus has big early speed and he gets his first try on the grass for the team of Baze and Hollendorfer. No. 4 Archie Graham and No. 7 Karaoke Cat both exit the same race. 2-4-7
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 GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Follow Richard on Twitter @SabesBet. Contact Richard at [email protected].