Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, Apr. 16

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $27,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds

6 True Image - Have like a first time gelding and exiting a key race; also dropping way down in class from MSW to maiden claiming.

3 Bold Bid - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; not sure why he isn’t running back on grass.

Long Shot - 4 Mr. Count On Me

Race 2 - 1 mile, Purse $58,000, Allowance, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

5 Yana - In and outer ran a big in race last time to just miss; key to stretching out around 2-turns, facing a much softer early pace.

3 Seeking Shamrocks - Speedball is also stretching out in distance from sprint to route; this kind is dangerous if left alone.

Long Shot - 4 Warren’s Tricia R.

Race 3 - 1 mile, Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 3-year-olds

3 Cyrus Alexander - Rafael Bejarano replaces the still injured Corey Nakatani; very few can judge pace as well as Bejarano in route races.

1 Rock Shandy - Gets class relief from the Lewis and Sharm to face much easier; like a rail post at a mile on dirt or turf.

Long Shot - 4 Commute

Race 4 - 1 mile, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

6 Twinkle Toes - Drops down to a class where she ran second three races ago; tactical speed to sit a trip for hot riding Tyler Baze.

1 Valentine’s Reward - Here is another rail horse starting a mile race from the inside; saves ground under Mario Gutierrez.

Long Shot - 2 Dixie Dame

Race 5 - 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds and up

7 Peacenik - I like horses that won while running a lower Beyer; that tells me the horse may have something left in the gas tank.

4 Industry Leader - Taken by Peter Miller, a top claiming trainer; has lots of back class to return to one of his ripe races.

Long Shot - 9 Papa’s Paisley

Race 6 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $63,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 4-year-olds and up

7 Gabriel Charles - Been away 18-months, but has the ability to win off the shelf; top connections in Rafael Bejarano and Jeff Mullins.

8 Midnight Storm - Logical chalk despite returning off a 8-month hiatus; last seen winning the grade 2 Del Mar Derby last summer.

Long Shot - 6 Super Ability

Race 7 - 6 furlongs, Purse $35,000, Claiming $32,000, 4-year-olds and up

9 Brando the Birdman - Note the class drop while switching to Rafael Bejarano; this is what I like to call the money shot, going all in.

6 Field Report - Good return off the shelf for Bill Spawr; Spawr barn is among the best at getting horses ready off a long layoff.

Long Shot - 3 Life Is a Joy

Race 8 - 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds and up

3 Air Nashoba - Last race experiment on dirt fizzled out badly; returns to turf, which is clearly his preferred surface.

5 The Custodian - Has had a lot of chances, but his best efforts have come on turf; will sit in arrears and make one brush.

Long Shot - 6 Freddies Dream

Best Bet - 3 Air Nashoba (race 8)

Santa Anita Sunday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 17/5/$28.20; Long Shots, 8/1/$5.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Totals - 1,059/280/$1,795.00; Long Shots, 529/77/$787.80; Best Bets, 64/23/$108.80

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #8 Meshell (4/1) in race 6 at Keeneland. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Get Creative ran out at Aqueduct. Stats - 52/36/$230.50; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick